A successful Christian children’s author says he was refused appearances on the BBC because it couldn’t be “seen to be promoting Jesus”.
G P Taylor’s first novel, Shadowmancer, spent 15 weeks at the top of the British book charts in 2003. His second book, Wormwood, sold 22,000 copies in one day.
Yet the author claims that invitations for appearances on the BBC stopped once producers found out he was a Christian.
“I had good relations with them until they realised that there were religious allegories in my stories,” he told The Sunday Telegraph.
“Once they had decided that I was promoting Christianity in my books I found the door firmly shut.”
Mr Taylor said his faith meant that he was not welcome on children’s programmes like Blue Peter.
He said: “A BBC producer told me ‘off the record’ that it was a matter of my faith and the fact that I was an Anglican priest. ‘We can’t be seen to be promoting Jesus’, he said with a laugh.”
A spokesman for the BBC denied the allegations. “Programme makers make their own editorial decisions about which guests to have on their shows. There is no truth in the claim that there is a BBC ban on G P Taylor.”
However, Mr Taylor said: “They weren’t turning me down because I was a bad guest, but because of who I am.
“I’m an Anglican priest and sadly while it’s OK to be the next Philip Pullman, it’s not all right to be a Christian writer.”