Radio and TV presenter Jeremy Vine has revealed that he feels unable to speak openly about his Christian faith at the BBC, for fear it would be seen as “contentious.”
Speaking in a new interview, the BBC Radio 2 broadcaster said: “I definitely have a faith. Christ is probably who he said he was. I just so rarely say that in a BBC building. I just feel it is so contentious to say that. I think the Bible stories are incredible and if it was a hoax I want to know who wrote it and I will follow them instead.”
“My parents were religious," said Vine, who is 61. “My mother is still going strong. She has recently turned 87. Recently, she had someone knock on the front door who could have been scamming her. We were a bit concerned, but he was basically taken in by her and told about the Bible for three hours. I think by the time he left he was traumatised so he is never coming back. But my parents properly lived it. They were very dedicated to their local parish church and their lifelong friends.”
The presenter made his comments while appearing on the BBC Radio 3 programme Private Passions, set to air next Sunday.
Vine has previously spoken about losing his faith during his teenage years, before returning to Christ.
In 2017, he described himself as “the worst evangelical ever,” admitting: “There were verses in the Bible I really struggled with. You must love the Lord with all your heart and mind and soul and strength and there's nobody in the world who does that.”
