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Jonathan Brady/PA Wire
UK News

BBC 'could televise Islamic Friday prayers'

by Antony Bushfield

The corporation has said it wants to increase the coverage of faiths other than Christianity but a source told Premier this would not mean a drop in Christian output.

Premier's source added: "The BBC will do more to represent faiths across the broad, and has specifically rejected the notion of in any way diminishing what it does around Christianity."

Expanded religious programming in other faiths led to the Muslim Council of Britain suggesting Islamic prayers could be broadcast on TV on a Friday.

Ibrahim Mogra from the organisation told the Times the BBC could also televise the Eid festival.

Anthony Devlin/ PA Wire

Premier understands the BBC Director General Lord Hall will be inviting religious leaders to a "round table" to look at what more the corporation can do to reflect the role of religion in modern Britain.

This would include the Archbishop of Canterbury and chief rabbi.

The BBC wants to put religion at the heart of new drama and factual programming, Premier understands.

Flagship Christian worship show Songs of Praise will not change in anyway, the source added.

BBC

Rev Lynda Rose has been campaigning for more Christian broadcasting and told Premier's News Hour: "I think we should be very concerned and actually very saddened."

She added: "It is surely right that Christianity be given more airtime but most importantly of all that Christianity be treated with respect and not have its core beliefs undermined all the time."

But she stressed: "I'm not saying we mustn't have any other coverage of other faiths".

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