Brian May to front one-off BBC documentary about badger culling

Brian May is hosting a one-off BBC documentary about his work in the field of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) and how to prevent it without resorting to badger culling.

The Queen guitarist has been a long-time opponent of badger culling and the documentary, Brian May: The Badgers, The Farmers And Me, follows him on a four-year project to eradicate the disease – which can devastate cattle populations – without harming the badgers.

The documentary will air on August 23 at 9pm on BBC Two.

“I don’t blame people for being suspicious of me in the beginning, because, you know, I’m a guitarist,” said May. “You know I’m a rock star. What am I doing? Why would I have some contribution to make?

“I came in to save the badgers. I now realise that to save the badgers, you have to save everybody because it’s a mess. It’s a tragic human drama where people’s hearts are broken.”

The show sees him team up with vet Dick Sibley and farmer Robert Reed – whose farm was chronically infected with bTB – to eliminate the disease without badger culling. May now hopes to show the wider farming community that he’s found “the real source” of the disease’s spread and they can thus change their policies.

Writing in the Radio Times, May said that the story “will outrage viewers more than anything since the Post Office scandal was revealed.

“You’ll see the monumental failure of British authorities to deal with the terrible problem of bovine TB, and the tragically wasteful slaughter of cows and badgers. Our findings, tracking years of research, are revolutionary and shocking – some will say heretical. I believe they’ll eventually turn farming practices upside down.

“In the last 12 years, a quarter of a million badgers have been slaughtered, based on the belief that they spread TB among cattle. The testimony of farmers in my film is that this policy has utterly failed them. Rates of infection and consequent numbers of cows slaughtered are no better and, in some areas, worse than ever.

He added: “In pursuing the tragic badger cull, which has always been morally indefensible, we believe that science has made one of the biggest and most costly mistakes in history – hanging on to a policy that, in time, will be seen as no more effective than burning those unfortunate witches.”

Meanwhile, May recently responded to the news that Aerosmith would be retiring, explaining that the announcement “brought a tear” to his eye.

Taking to Instagram just hours after the band shared the news, he posted a photo of the initial statement, and shared his own response in the caption.

He said: “This has brought a tear to my eye. Aerosmith have been a huge part of my life, as they have been for millions of other rock fans. Steve Tyler stands as one the greatest vocalists and frontmen of all time – and it’s heartbreaking that his extraordinary voice has been so damaged. We all send our love and prayers for your recovery, Steve. It’s also typical of the pure class of the band that they have made and broadcast this bold decision in such style.”

He continued: “The career of Aerosmith is truly something to celebrate forever. All things must pass – but the inspiring work of Aerosmith will live on – along with the memories of truly one of the most awesome bands to ever hit a stage.”

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