The song, first released in 1987 by The Pogs and singer Kristim Coll, is one of the most popular Christmas songs in the United Kingdom.
An edited version of the song that does not contain offensive lyrics will be played instead.
However, other BBC radio stations will be allowed to broadcast the original version.
“We know the song is considered a Christmas classic and we will continue to do so this year, our radio stations have chosen the version of the most relevant song for their audience,” the BBC said in a statement. The original track will still be played on Radio 2, the BBC reported, while the DJ of Radio 6 Music can choose between two versions.
Radio 1 has a smaller target audience than some other stations, including Radio 2 and Radio 6.
Shane M G Kagowa led Poggs, while M of Kakol, who died in a boating accident in 2000 at the age of 41, was featured on the track.
He told Ireland’s “The Late Late Show” in 2019 that his goal was to create an “authentic” character within the song and that “not all characters in the songs and stories are angels.”
The debate resumed in 2019 when the BBC aired a Christmas special on the show “Gavin and Stacey”, during which the two characters sang a duet of the original song, which drew criticism on social media.
CBNA has contacted McGowan representatives to comment on the BBC’s recent decision.
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