BBC FORCED TO PULL STAR-STUDDED ‘WONDERWALL’ WORLD CUP VIDEO AFTER OASIS LEGAL TEAM STEPPED IN
The BBC has been forced to remove a star-studded World Cup video featuring celebrities singing Oasis’ “Wonderwall” after the band’s legal representatives demanded that the clip be taken down.
The footage had been created around the huge reaction from England fans, who had been singing the 1995 anthem during the team’s World Cup run.
But what the BBC reportedly hoped would become a viral hit quickly turned into an embarrassment after viewers began mocking the performance — and then Oasis’ legal team intervened.
Among the celebrities recruited for the video were Stephen Fry, Maya Jama, Claudia Winkleman, Michael McIntyre, Micah Richards, Ross Kemp, Lee Mack, Sara Cox and Emma Raducanu.
The clip reportedly began with former footballer Micah Richards belting out the famous song before cutting between the various stars performing their sections.
BBC ‘DROPPED AN ENORMOUS BALL’
According to an insider, BBC Sport had seen how popular “Wonderwall” had become among England supporters and decided to invest significant time and money into producing its own celebrity version.
The source claimed the broadcaster hoped the video would go viral.
Instead, the project reportedly ran into trouble when Oasis’ legal representatives demanded its removal.
The insider said the BBC had apparently failed to secure the appropriate permission to use the song on social media, leaving the broadcaster with little room to fight the request.
BBC Sport director Alex Kay-Jelski was reportedly keen to save the video but ultimately had to concede.
VIEWERS WERE NOT IMPRESSED
Before it disappeared, some viewers who managed to see the footage delivered brutal verdicts online.
One person described it as possibly “the worst thing I’ve ever seen”, while another branded it “absolute car crash content.”
The reaction reportedly left some of the celebrities involved relieved when the video was eventually taken down.
The insider added that, given the response, the BBC’s expensive attempt to create a viral World Cup moment had instead become “a huge waste of time” and an embarrassment for the broadcaster.
The video featured stars including Michael McIntyre wearing an England shirt, Claudia Winkleman delivering her section and Emma Raducanu taking part alongside a long list of other famous faces.