Britannia Radio

Protest against BBC Film on Assisted Suicide Today The BBC is planning to show a millionaire businessman take his own life on television this evening. The film, ‘Choosing to Die’, will air tonight on BBC 2 at 9pm, and will show a motor neurone disease sufferer taking his own life at a Dignitas clinic in Switzerland. The programme is presented by Sir Terry Pratchett, a long time campaigner for assisted suicide. Sadly, it appears that the BBC is pushing an agenda for assisted suicide, having broadcast five programmes since 2008 portraying assisted suicide in a favourable light. This agenda has to be stopped.

URGENT ACTION REQUIRED Please contact: Lord Patten (Chairman of BBC Trust) Tel: 020 7219 8736 pattenc@parliament.uk House of Lords, London, SW1A 0PW           BBC Complaints Tel: 03700 100 222  https://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/forms/ PO Box 1922 Darlington DL3 0UR Please communicate that the film should not be shown, or if it is, that a film which promotes care, not killing, should be produced and shown quickly with as much publicity, because: As the UK's public broadcaster, the BBC has a duty to be impartial. This film, backed by the celebrity endorsement of Terry Pratchett, romanticises, glamourises and idealises assisted suicide. It is not an accurate portrayal, is one-sided and  shows the BBC as a cheerleader for assisted suicide; The airing of this film breaches both international and BBC Guidelines and  the World Health Organisation Guidelines on portraying assisted suicide and is therefore reckless and irresponsible; This film disguises the impact of assisted suicide and runs the real danger of encouraging further suicides amongst those who are sick, elderly or disabled, documented as the Werther effect, suicide contagion, or copycat suicide, which is well recognised in the medical literature. You can read more here >