Katherine Ryan apologizes to Victoria Beckham over BBC joke

Comedian Katherine Ryan has issued an unreserved apology to Victoria Beckham following a controversial joke made during an episode of the BBC panel show ‘Have I Got News For You’. The remark, which aired in November 2025, alluded to a leaked email allegedly sent by Sir David Beckham that contained a highly offensive slur.

Ryan stated that Victoria Beckham reached out to her personally as soon as the broadcast occurred to express her offense. Ryan described the comment as “tongue-in-cheek” and intended to be “cheeky,” but confirmed she apologized immediately to avoid hurting feelings.

The BBC’s Executive Complaints Unit upheld viewer complaints regarding the joke, ruling that there was no editorial justification for presenting Victoria Beckham as equivalent to the offensive term. As a result, the segment was edited out of the episode on the BBC iPlayer streaming service.