A documentary from Queen guitarist Brian May has come under fire from those in the countryside and farming communities due to it’s sympathy for protecting badgers against culls.

Broadcast on BBC Two at 9pm on Friday August 23, Brian May: The Badgers, the Farmers and Me is a documentary produced by the musician and wildlife activist aiming to prove that badgers are not a threat to farming.

Badgers are cited as the leading vector for Bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) and culls have occurred in the UK since 2013 to control the spread of the disease. Under current UK laws, any cow that tests positive for bTB has to be destroyed, with cattle farmers seriously affected by a potential outbreak.

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Mr May has been a long-time opponent of badger culling and his BBC documentary follows him on a four-year project to eradicate the disease without harming the badgers.

The programme has faced criticism from Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner, as well as Welsh farming personality Gareth Wyn Jones, and Jeremy Clarkson.

It was reported that Mr Bonner had written to BBC bosses over the impartiality of May’s documentary. Citing the decision to air the programme as “Fundamentally incompatible with the BBC’s obligation to be impartial.”

Mr May defended on the programme on his Instagram describing it as “Scrupulously fair and honest, and it means a lot to me that the plight of the farmers is well and sympathetically represented.”

Despite starring in the documentary, North Wales farmer and former BBC presenter Gareth Wyn Jones also had concerns about the programme.

“Brian May and his team really believe that all of the TB happens on the farm – it is either brought in by other cattle or there is cross contamination with the slurry. So literally blaming the farmer.” He said.

He also told the filmmakers that badgers are responsible for declining numbers of hedgehogs and ground nesting birds on his farm but he does not believe this was included in the final documentary.

Jeremy Clarkson of Clarkson’s Farm has been openly critical of badgers and has documented his struggles with them on his farm. Speaking on the issue in the past he had said badgers should be “hit on the head with a hammer” to protect cattle and has also described them as “Not nice animals. Do not be fooled by Brian May.”