The BBC has received 266 complaints from people who refuse to acknowledge the reality of racism after being triggered by the latest episode of the BAFTA-winning sitcom, The Vicar of Dibley, which showed one of its main characters taking part in Black Lives Matter activism.
Actress Dawn French, who plays the role of Geraldine Granger, took a knee and delivered a speech about racism during the episode, according to the BBC. Granger, who resides in a fictional village known as Dibley, talked about being preoccupied with the "horror show" of George Floyd's death and the Black Lives Matter movement.
BBC receives 266 complaints after Dawn French's character on Vicar of Dibley took the knee in Black Lives Matter inspired episode https://t.co/LQNtSgAmbh
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) December 24, 2020
The character especially found it important to spread her message in Dibley, which lacks diversity.
"But I don't think it matters where you are from," French's character said, according to Sky News. "I think it matters that you do something about it because Jesus would, wouldn't he? And, listen, I am aware all lives matter, obviously, but until all lives matter the same we are doing something very wrong."
The character also replaced some of the posters in the village with Black Lives Matter signs.
"I think that in Dibley perhaps we should think about taking down some of these old notices like this and that, and perhaps we should put up one like this instead," she said.
French went to Twitter after seeing the complaints and responded with a hint of sarcasm.
A lovely calm day, full of humanity, compassion and support all round…..
— Dawn French (@Dawn_French) December 6, 2020
The BBC said the episode is part of a series that focuses on several topics related to current events.
"In The Vicar of Dibley in Lockdown, Geraldine shares with her congregation her take on some of the key stories of 2020, including clapping for the NHS, the Black Lives Matter movement, lockdown, and school exams being canceled,’ the media outlet stated.