BBC told staff: Don't wear black

The BBC was today forced to admit that it had told presenters not to wear black ties to report the death of the Queen Mother.

The corporation was forced on to the back foot as the row over its coverage escalated. Prince Charles was said to be so incensed at the BBC's "disrespectful" coverage that he asked ITN to film his moving tribute to his grandmother in a calculated snub.

Today, as one of the corporation's most senior women executives was dragged into the centre of the row, a BBC spokesman admitted: "The guidance to presenters was that they should wear sombre clothes for the announcement of the Queen Mother's death and black ties for the funeral."

The BBC denied there was an outright ban but BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey was accused of telling reporters and presenters not to wear black as a mark of respect.

Ms Heggessey, it was said, ordered staff to wear sober colours rather than black, which is reserved for the day of the funeral and the death of the Queen herself. The new informal approach was tried after the death of Princess Margaret seven weeks ago and judged a success.

In an official statement the BBC said: "It is complete nonsense to imply that there has been a ban on presenters wearing black ties. The guidance to presenters was that they should wear sombre clothes for the announcement of the Queen Mother's death and black ties for the funeral."

The row escalated as the royal family and scores of viewers complained at the corporation's "disrespectful" coverage. Many said this was typified by newsreader Peter Sissons wearing a burgundy tie and grey suit to deliver the live announcement of the Queen Mother's death on Saturday evening.

Unlike the BBC, journalists at ITN, Channel 5 and Sky were all told to wear black in honour of the 101-year-old Queen Mother.

The BBC's decision to scale back coverage of the death, and screen medical soap opera Casualty hours after the Queen Mother's death, provoked fury among both royals and members of the public. A senior royal aide said: "The fact that Prince Charles, who discussed this with the Queen, went to ITN for his tribute speaks for itself. The whole family is disappointed and hurt at the disrespectful tone and length of the coverage." As national broadcaster, the BBC would traditionally have been expected to film the Prince's tribute to the Queen Mother, as it filmed his tribute to his aunt, Princess Margaret.

Gerald Kaufman, the Labour chairman of the Commons Culture Select Committee, said: "The BBC is an extraordinary organisation which is becoming weirder by the day. I am astonished that the BBC should even consider having a policy on whether to wear a black tie or not. If presenters want to wear black ties that should be a matter for them."

Until last year the project for covering the Queen Mother's death, codenamed Operation Lion, included plans for blanket coverage and sombre music. But these plans were scrapped following a review after the events of 11 September. Ms Heggessey said then: "It is still a significant event and the Queen Mother is still a much-loved figure ... but we need to be in tune with the times."

With Greg Dyke on holiday, World Service director Mark Byford was standing in and was in ultimate charge of what was shown. He was advised by Ms Heggessey, BBC 2 controller Jane Root, and director of television, Jana Bennett, a 45-year-old friend of Tony Blair's described by colleagues as "very political". Meanwhile BBC Radio chief Jenny Abramsky liaised with Ms Heggessey over the radio coverage of the death.

Peter Sissons has described the attacks on his coverage as a "travesty." A friend of Peter Sissons claimed: "Peter told me: 'I am buggered if I'm going to let this destroy nearly 40 years in journalism.'"

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