British Airways Ends Louis Theroux Podcast Sponsorship Over Bob Vylan Interview

British Airways has paused its sponsorship of The Louis Theroux Podcast following an interview with punk duo Bob Vylan's frontman, Bobby Vylan, who reiterated his support for the controversial chant "death to the IDF" during their Glastonbury Festival performance. Vylan stated on the podcast that he was "not regretful" of the chant and would repeat it, prompting widespread criticism and leading British Airways to remove their advertising due to a breach of their sponsorship policy on politically sensitive content. The incident sparked an investigation by Avon and Somerset police and resulted in the band being dropped from multiple festivals and tours, with some UK gigs postponed due to political pressure and calls for cancellation from Jewish leaders and MPs. Despite the backlash, Bob Vylan's album saw a resurgence, topping the UK Hip Hop and R&B charts and supporting a 2025 UK tour announcement. British Airways is investigating how the sponsorship breach occurred despite having processes in place to prevent such issues. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions around freedom of expression and political sensitivity in public discourse and media sponsorships.