Keir Starmer slams BBC over ‘distressing’ footage of Christian Eriksen collapse

Keir Starmer slams BBC for broadcasting ‘distressing’ footage of Christian Eriksen collapse including his wife Sabrina running on to the pitch

  • Keir Starmer has criticised BBC over handling of the Christian Eriksen collapse
  • Labour leader said broadcaster should have ‘cut away sooner’ from the scenes
  • Denmark midfielder now said to be stable after getting life-saving treatment


Keir Starmer today slammed the BBC for continuing to broadcast ‘distressing’ footage of stricken Denmark player Christian Eriksen.

The midfielder dropped to the ground at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen shortly before half-time, leaving both teams in shock.

TV pictures showed medics desperately trying to stabilise the former Tottenham player, as his teammates formed a circle around where he lay on the pitch in an effort to protect his privacy.

The coverage also showed Eriksen’s distraught partner Sabrina Kvist Jensen, with whom he has two children, being consoled by Denmark players and officials while he received life-saving treatment.

The BBC has apologised following complaints, and said the footage was controlled by Uefa.

But in a radio phone-in today, Sir Keir said the situation was obviously ‘serious from the start’ and the broadcaster should have ‘cut away sooner’. 

Christian Eriksen dropped to the ground at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen shortly before half-time, leaving both teams in shock

in an LBC radio phone-in today, Sir Keir said the situation was obviously 'serious from the start' and the broadcaster should have 'cut away sooner'

in an LBC radio phone-in today, Sir Keir said the situation was obviously ‘serious from the start’ and the broadcaster should have ‘cut away sooner’

Speaking on LBC, Sir Keir said: ‘I watched this live and it was awful.’

He continued: ‘There are those rare occasions where you know it’s serious from the start – the players’ expressions who are on the pitch, the fans’ expression – it becomes very sombre very, very quickly.

‘I really feared the worst. I thought I was watching something no football fan ever, ever wants to watch.

‘I thought they could have cut away sooner and I think his partner came onto the pitch at one point and I don’t know why they had the cameras on her at all.’

He added: ‘They could have cut early, they should have cut out and I don’t think they… they certainly shouldn’t have shown his partner – I mean how distressing is that?’

A statement from the BBC said: ‘Everyone at the BBC is hoping Christian Eriksen makes a full recovery.

‘We apologise to anyone who was upset by the images broadcast. In stadium coverage is controlled by Uefa as the host broadcaster, and as soon as the match was suspended, we took our coverage off air as quickly as possible.’

Former Tottenham striker Gary Lineker, who anchored the BBC’s studio coverage of the Denmark v Finland match, described the incident as ‘the most difficult, distressing and emotional broadcast I’ve ever been involved with’.

The first-round match in Copenhagen was suspended, before resuming some two hours later after Eriksen was said to be in a stable condition. Finland won the match one-nil.

The former Tottenham star was rushed to hospital following the incident and is now said to be in a stable condition

The former Tottenham star was rushed to hospital following the incident and is now said to be in a stable condition