The BBC's sports editor claimed Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha died alongside his mistress.GETTY IMAGES
BBC sports editor Dan Roan was "reprimanded by bosses after he was caught on camera claiming that Leicester City's owner had a mistress who died alongside him," according to Anita Singh of the London TELEGRAPH. Roan is "facing calls to resign over the unguarded comments" made at a memorial for Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. Sources at the BBC said that Roan's "gaffe" came despite him being told to "strike the right tone" when covering the story. One of those killed in the helicopter crash was Srivaddhanaprabha's personal assistant, Nusara Suknamai, who was a former beauty queen and actress who had worked for Srivaddhanaprabha for "several years." Many fans have called for Roan to resign and accused him of disrespecting Srivaddhaprabha's memory with his "disgraceful" and "offensive" comments. Roan believing himself to be off-air was no defense, they said, "pointing out that Andy Gray and Richard Keys lost their jobs as Sky Sports pundits" in '11 after they were overheard making "derogatory comments about a woman." A BBC spokesperson said, "This was an ill-judged comment made in a private off-air conversation for which Dan has apologized." But a source said, "The BBC have taken a dim view of this. They told him at the outset that the main thing he needed to do was to strike the right tone, and then this happens" (TELEGRAPH, 10/30). In London, James Morris reported Roan has been absent from the BBC's coverage since his "ill-judged" comments emerged on Monday. Meanwhile, 629 people have signed a petition calling for Roan to be sacked. Ashley Cowley, who launched the petition, wrote, "Just remember the BBC is funded by the UK population paying for their TV Licence" (EVENING STANDARD, 10/31).
