BBC bosses were forced to issue an apology after Texas star Sharleen Spiteri launched into an expletive-laden rant while performing at Radio 2 In The Park on Saturday.
The three-day festival is taking place in Stirling, Scotland, this week, with Sharleen joining stars including Simple Minds, Chaka Khan and Bryan Adams. Texas' lunchtime performance was being broadcast on BBC iPlayer, and viewers were caught off-guard when Sharleen launched into her tirade.
Sharleen briefly paused her gig at City Park to tie up her shoelaces, before telling the crowd: "I know that the audience were looking going, can she tie a lace? If I wasn't on the BBC I think anyone who's been at a Texas show knows what I would say, right there? But I am on my best behaviour today."
The audience began to boo Sharleen, and she declared: "Do we want a bleep? Stirling do you really want a bleep? F*** this! Let's do it!"
As Sharleen launched into a performance of Texas' song Say What You Want, an on-screen apology appeared during the livestream. It read: "You are watching Radio 2 In The Park Live. We apologise if you've been offended by anything in this stream."
BBC hosts respond on air
Host Jo Whiley addressed the moment directly, saying: "Of course, there was bad language for which we apologise." Fellow presenter Vernon Kay, who was leading the festival's radio coverage, added: "Once again, apologies for the language. It's a bit too early for that! Sharleen was on one this morning!"
This year's Radio 2 In The Park lineup also includes Jack Savoretti, Lulu, The Script, Blue, Simple Minds, Deacon Blue and James Blunt.
Sharleen's history with the music industry
Sharleen founded Texas while working as a hairdresser at the Irvine Rusk salon in Glasgow, with the band finding quick success with their debut single I Don't Want A Lover. Texas was founded in 1986 and is currently made up of Sharleen, Johnny McElhone, Ally McErlaine, Eddie Campbell, Tony McGovern and Cat Myers.
The singer admitted in an interview in April that she has "never had a great relationship with the music industry." Speaking on the I Never Thought It Would Happen podcast with Chris Difford, Sharleen said that when she was signed, the managing director at her record company, Mercury Records, referred to her as the "dodgy boiler" and asked what that was all about. She said she was 18 years old at the time and thought to herself, "you motherf****r," adding that the experience actually worked well for her because it gave her the confidence to push back.
Sharleen also said industry figures told her she dressed like a boy and speculated she must be a lesbian because she had short hair and wore big boots. She said many of the attitudes present when she was in her late teens are still around today but are now more hidden. "They still do say that s**t but it's just hidden really well," she said. "People say it's better now, it's not, it's just not right in front of your face. It's hidden so well."
