The BBC's popular restoration programme The Repair Shop has triggered a wave of viewer fury after the broadcaster removed a segment featuring comedian Bob Monkhouse's handwritten joke books from an upcoming episode.
The decision to pull the material came following a complaint from a member of the production crew who deemed one of the jokes sexist.
Wednesday's episode saw the restoration team tackle three items: a unicycle, a gadget from the 1980s, and an Edwardian plate camera.
The programme's format remained unchanged, with families sharing emotional stories about their connections to treasured objects that once belonged to deceased relatives.
The episode had cut one segment due to sexism complaints
|BBC
However, the broadcast was overshadowed by the decision to axe the Monkhouse segment from the schedule.
Fans of the long-running show took to social media platform X within minutes of Wednesday evening's episode to voice their frustration at what many described as excessive political correctness.
The controversy has prompted some loyal viewers to threaten switching off the programme entirely, with accusations that the BBC has capitulated to "woke" pressure over content from a celebrated comedy writer.
Reports indicate that numerous regular viewers chose to boycott the episode altogether in protest at the BBC's handling of the situation.
The Repair Shop fans were unhappy about the edit
|BBC
The backlash began almost immediately after the programme started airing, with disgruntled fans heading online to express their displeasure.
Many questioned why the corporation had allowed a single complaint from a staff member to result in the removal of what would have been a tribute to the late comedian's work.
Social media users were quick to express their anger at the BBC's decision. One viewer wrote: "Totally agree with Jeremy Vine.
"Bob Monkhouse was a genius and wrote a lot of brilliant and clever comedy. Not all of it would have dated to offend some folk of today.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
A Bob Monkhouse segment was removed from BBC The Repair Shop
|GETTY
"I like watching The Repair Shop, but this seems like they have gone out of their way to create a headline."
Another frustrated fan posted: "So the BBC pulls this episode based on one employee of the production crew for The Repair Shop, paid, of course, by the British Public through the TV licence fee.
"You can't make this up unless you understand. It's yet another fiasco from the Beeb."
A third commenter added: "Please tell me this Bob Monkhouse story isn't true. I really love The Repair Shop, but I hate anything that's driven and influenced by the woke brigade. If it is true, stand up and show yourself!"
The cancelled segment was set to showcase handwritten joke books dating back to the 1960s, offering a glimpse into the creative process of one of Britain's most celebrated comedians.
The items were to be brought onto the programme by Colin Edmonds, who worked alongside Monkhouse as his writing partner, accompanied by his adopted daughter Abigail Williams.
The restoration of these historic comedy artefacts would have allowed viewers to see the original material penned by the late entertainer, whose career spanned several decades in British television.
Instead, the segment was removed from the broadcast schedule following the objection raised by a crew member, leaving fans questioning whether the BBC had made the right call in prioritising one individual's concerns over what many considered a fitting tribute to Monkhouse's legacy.