BBC controversies about the Director General's decision'. The BBC's chief operating officer, Caroline Thomson, affirmed the need to broadcast "without affecting and impinging on the audience's perception of our impartiality" and that in this case, it was a "real issue." The 2009 Gaza appeal is the only occasion on which the BBC is known to have refused an appeal broadcast request from the DEC. It is reported the 2009 DEC Gaza appeal screened only by Channel 4 and ITV raised £8.3m. In August 2014 the BBC broadcast a new DEC aid appeal for people in Gaza, without similar controversy, which raised £16m
Monty Python: Almost the Truth (Lawyers Cut) original vocalist Sonia Jones who, after becoming increasingly fed up with each subsequent performance, is replaced and on the sixth and final episode by Iron Maiden vocalist, Bruce Dickinson. On 29 September 2009, Vue Cinemas in the UK showed a condensed cinema version of the series for one night only. The "BBC Lawyer's Cut", a 59-minute cut, was broadcast on BBC 2 on 3 October 2009. Sky Arts began showing all six chapters of the documentary in January 2012. The full version was broadcast in 2 one-hour episodes per night on IFC from 19 to 23 October and on Bravo!