Industry bodies have slammed the BBC’s bovine TB documentary featuring Sir Brian May – saying it was ‘missing key evidence’.

The documentary, ‘Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me’ examined the results of a research project which focused on the crisis caused by bTB on one farm family.

Airing on Friday, August 23, the controversial documentary also highlighted Sir Brian’s opposition to the UK’s ongoing badger cull.

Since 2013, the government has permitted the culling of badgers across certain parts of England to curb bovine TB, with the existing policy set to end by 2026.

AHDB said the programme aired while missing key evidence despite it speaking to programme makers to share its concerns about ‘a number of inaccuracies’ in the preview version it had seen.

“This week we went to some effort to highlight to the BBC the importance of including peer-reviewed evidence about how the disease is spread, the positive impact of badger culling on TB in cattle herds, and the effectiveness of the current 25-year eradication strategy,” AHDB said.

“This was not reflected in the final edit.

“Bovine TB is a complex disease, and we were pleased to see the programme highlight its impact on the mental wellbeing of farmers, as well as the devastating effect it has on animals.

“We will now take some time to further reflect on the programme before considering further action.”

The National Beef Association also has grave concerns surrounding some of the content and opinion broadcast in the BBC2 documentary.

The NBA TB committee commented: “While we believe the documentary correctly surmised that the current overall system is not perfect for either farmers or wildlife, we are deeply concerned about Sir Brian’s refusal to accept some of the factual science which does not align with his personal agenda. The programme was biased in the extreme, giving consumers only one view of a vastly complex debate. For this, the BBC bears responsibility for failing to provide a scientifically balanced and alternative view.

"Over the years, many farmers have suffered greatly with their mental health due to the challenges and financial hardship the disease causes on farms; this broadcast has done nothing to improve their situation - perhaps even made them feel more isolated and alone.

"The new government has accepted the challenge of eradicating TB by 2038, and it is clear that existing policy is unlikely to deliver this. Whilst we welcome the government commitment to at least work through the wildlife control licenses that have already been issued, we would urge them to move quickly to implement better testing and a more radical approach to early detection of the disease."

"There is no doubt that early detection and speedy eradication of the disease in individual herds would expedite the prospect of a TB-free country considerably.

"The NBA will continue to lobby the government to ensure they invest heavily and appropriately, and we will work with both government and industry towards the eradication of bovine TB.”

Last week, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) wrote to the BBC to express its 'deep concern' ahead of the airing of a new documentary.

NFU president Tom Bradshaw said it is 'completely unacceptable and irresponsible for Brian May to have been given the platform he has by the BBC'. The union asserted that it is accepted that 'badgers are the main wildlife host of bTB', making badger control a key part of the bovine TB eradication strategy within England.

The NFU also cited research into the bacteria that causes bovine TB highlighting that cattle are approximately 10 times more likely to catch TB from badgers than badgers are to catch it from cattle.