The BBC has removed a celebrity-filled video of Oasis's hit song "Wonderwall" after the band's legal team objected, according to reports. The clip, posted ahead of England's World Cup semi-final against Argentina, featured stars including Stephen Fry, Micah Richards, Maya Jama, and Claudia Winkleman singing the iconic tune. The broadcaster reportedly did not secure the necessary rights to use the song on social media, prompting Oasis's lawyers to intervene.
Celebrity video pulled after England's defeat
The video was posted by BBC Sport in the lead-up to the match, which ended in a heartbreaking defeat for England. Following the loss, the clip was swiftly removed from the BBC's website, with users now seeing an error message when attempting to access it. The video had been intended to capitalize on the song's popularity among England fans, who had adopted it as an unofficial anthem during the tournament.
Social media reaction to the video was largely negative, with many users expressing embarrassment. One user named Chris wrote on X: "I can't put into words how angry I am at this," while another, Alice, claimed: "This is why England lost… we definitely deserved to lose, the universe does not let things this bad go unpunished."
Legal team and BBC Sport clash
A source told The Sun: "The BBC dropped an enormous ball with the Oasis video as it caused a riot. BBC Sport saw all the traction Wonderwall was getting and decided to spend a lot of time, and a fair bit of cash, getting all these stars to sing or speak along. Their idea was it would go viral but instead Oasis's legal team shot it down."
The video featured a range of celebrities, from Sara Cox to Michael McIntyre, Ross Kemp, and Emma Raducanu, with former England footballer Richards starting the tune. Even David Baddiel joined in, referencing his 90s England anthem "Three Lions," which he sang with Frank Skinner and The Lightning Seeds. Notably, the Gallagher brothers did not participate.
Comparisons to Imagine cover and BBC response
BBC Sport boss Alex Kay-Jelski reportedly tried to fight the decision to remove the video but was unable to stop it. Comparisons were made to the infamous celebrity cover of John Lennon's "Imagine," with many calling the Wonderwall video "worse." It was also described as "cringe-inducing," while social media account PootballFundit branded it "absolute car crash content."
This development comes as reports emerged of new Oasis 2027 gig dates, with the band reportedly set to take over Manchester City's Etihad Stadium for a 12-night residency across six weeks starting in June 2027. According to The Sun, "Dates could be added, but for now that's the master plan," claimed an insider. Metro has contacted the BBC for comment and representatives for Oasis.
