BBC accused of cruelty over use of foie gras on Great British Menu

Former BBC wildlife presenter Bill Oddie has slammed the BBC for "condoning
cruelty" over its promotion of controversial delicacy foie gras.

On its BBC Two show The Great British Menu, top chefs compete to cook a
special meal at the Olympic Banquet, using their own recipes - some of which
include foie gras.

The delicacy, which is made from the liver of a specially fattened duck or
goose, has also featured on some of the BBC's websites and Oddie blasted the
broadcaster's "lack of moral concern".

In an open letter to the broadcaster, the 70-year-old said: "By featuring
and publicising chefs and recipes involving foie gras, the BBC is condoning
dreadful cruelty.

"This is not a minority or extremist stance. It is an abhorrence that
unifies all kinds, from animal welfare and humanitarian groups to
scientists, the general public and, indeed - I am willing to bet - a large
number of gourmet chefs and, quite likely, Olympic athletes.

"It would be admirable if the BBC would literally and publicly disown the
production and consumption of foie gras."

Oddie also agreed with one viewer who said: "It is neither great, nor
British!"

The wildlife expert, who proclaims to represent a "historic link to BBC TV",
joined thousands of concerned viewers who have also contacted the BBC
demanding that all promotions of foie gras be removed from the licence
payer-funded service.

Oddie blasted the BBC's defence that foie gras is "legal, freely available
and many people do enjoy it", calling it "feeble and shallow".

A BBC spokeswoman said: "As long as foie gras remains legal and freely
available there is the possibility that it could be used as an ingredient in
cookery programmes, just as it remains on restaurant menus around the world.

"It would be both inadvisable and impractical in creative terms to preclude
the chefs from using certain legal ingredients, which they may regularly use
in their restaurants on the grounds that they might be regarded, by some, as
unethical.

"Such a prescriptive approach could, of course, lead to the use of many
day-to-day meat or dairy products being called into question so we believe
that any such decisions should ultimately be left up to the individual
chefs."

The French delicacy is currently legal in the UK, but production of it is
against the law.

A foie gras ban was signed into law in California by then Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger, but an eight-year period of grace was allowed.

The ban will begin on 1st July and non-compliant chefs have already received
death threats from animal rights activists.