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Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me

Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me

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Summary

Queen guitarist Brian May has long been a critic of the practice of culling the badger population in the UK, which is used to stop the spread the of bovine TB. He believes the animals are being scapegoated and killed needlessly, and has sponsored a research programme into the causes of the disease. This documentary following the rock star as he takes his case to a sceptical farming community, hoping to persuade enough of them to back his radical plans to stop the cull and help cure the cattle

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Review

David Butcher

Queen guitarist Brian May is a passionate voice in support of animal rights. “To me, it’s a mission,” he has said. “I feel we have a terrible debt to pay back to the creatures of this planet.” Which is one reason he’s championed the cause of Britain’s badger population, wrongly blamed, he argues, for the spread of bovine TB.

For this documentary, he tries to bring the polarised sides of the issue together: farmers understandably fearful for their cattle and outraged animal rights groups. “You realise in the end that shouting doesn’t do anyone any good,” May says, “because everybody’s trying to solve the problem.” Is there a solution that could protect both cattle and badgers? Previews of the programme weren’t available, but it should be a thoughtful look at a burning issue for the countryside.

Coincidentally, BBC4 majors on the more noodling side of May’s career tonight, with a string of Queen-focused repeats, starting at 10pm with Queen at the BBC. Two Freddie Mercury documentaries and The Story of Bohemian Rhapsody follow. They will rock you.

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