A BBC Gaza documentary breached the broadcasting code, an Ofcom investigation has found.

The regulator said the failure to disclose that the 13-year-old boy narrating the programme was the son of a deputy minister in the Hamas-run government broke the rules and that it was “materially misleading” not to mention it.

In July, the BBC said it breached its own editorial guidelines by failing to disclose the full identity of the child narrator’s father in the Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone documentary.

The documentary was made by independent production company Hoyo Films, and features 13-year-old Abdullah Alyazouri, who speaks about life in Gaza during the war between Israel and Hamas.

It was pulled from BBC iPlayer in February after it emerged that the boy was the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture.

A report into the controversial programme said three members of the independent production company knew about the role of the boy’s father – but no one within the BBC was aware.

Ofcom’s investigation into the documentary, which followed 20 complaints, found that the audience was deprived of “critical information” which could have been “highly relevant” to their assessment of the narrator and the information he provided.

The report said the failed to disclose a narrator’s links to Hamas “had the potential to erode the significantly high levels of trust that audiences would have placed in a BBC factual programme about the Israel-Gaza war”.

Following an internal review into the programme, followed by a full fact-finding review the BBC’s director of Editorial Complaints and Reviews, Peter Johnston, the corporation’s director general, Tim Davie, and Hoyo Films apologised.

Hoyo films said it was “working closely with the BBC” to see if it could find a way to bring back parts of the documentary to iPlayer, adding: “Our team in Gaza risked their lives to document the devastating impact of war on children.

“Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone remains a vital account, and our contributors – who have no say in the conflict – deserve to have their voices heard.”

Israel does not allow international news organisations into Gaza to report independently.

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Describing it as “a serious breach of our rules,” Ofcom said they were directing the BBC to broadcast a statement of their findings against it on BBC2 at 9pm, with a date yet to be confirmed.

Responding to the findings of Ofcom’s investigation, a BBC spokesperson said: “The Ofcom ruling is in line with the findings of Peter Johnston’s review, that there was a significant failing in the documentary in relation to the BBC’s editorial guidelines on accuracy, which reflects Rule 2.2 of Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code.

“We have apologised for this and we accept Ofcom’s decision in full.

“We will comply with the sanction as soon as the date and wording are finalised.”

The BBC has faced numerous controversies in recent months, and just last week, former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace filed a High Court claim, suing the broadcaster and its subsidiary BBC Studios Distribution Limited for “distress and harassment” after he was sacked from the cooking show in July.

The 61-year-old ex-greengrocer was dismissed after an investigation into historical allegations of misconduct upheld multiple accusations against him.

The BBC has said Wallace is not “entitled to any damages,” and denies he “suffered any distress or harassment as a result of the responses of the BBC”.

Kiss founding member Ace Frehley, the rock band’s original lead guitarist, has died aged 74.

He passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, in Morristown, New Jersey, his agent said.

He had suffered a recent fall.

A statement from the rocker’s family said they were “completely devastated and heartbroken”.

New York-born Frehley was Kiss’s guitarist when they started in 1973.

The other members were Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss.

Like his bandmates, Frehley took on a comic book-style persona on stage (he was known as “Spaceman”) and captivated audiences with his elaborate makeup and smoke-filled guitar.

The band’s shows were known for fireworks, smoke, and eruptions of fake blood, while the stars sported platform boots, black wigs, and – of course – the iconic black and white face paint.

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Especially popular in the mid-1970s, Kiss’s hits include Rock And Roll All Nite and Detroit Rock City.

They sold tens of millions of records and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

‘Irreplaceable’

Frehey’s family said they would “cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others”.

Criss posted a simple tribute on X, describing his shock. He added: “My friend… I love you!”. A photograph of Frehley, smiling in his “Spaceman” makeup, accompanied the message.

Meanwhile Stanley and Simmons described him as an “essential and irreplaceable rock soldier”.

Paying tribute, the duo said they were “devastated” by his death.

Frehley’s Kiss career first ended in 1982, before he returned for a reunion tour in 1996, staying on until 2002. He also released several solo albums.

He is survived by his wife Jeanette and daughter Monique.

Sam Fender has won the 2025 Mercury Prize for his album People Watching.

The announcement was made during the award ceremony in Newcastle on Thursday night, marking the event’s debut outside of London.

Jubilant crowds cheered hometown hero Sam Fender, from North Shields, who triumphed over competitors including Britpop legends Pulp, Irish artist CMAT, and post-punk group Fontaines DC.

DJ Lauren Laverne hosted the event, while judge Sian Eleri announced the 31-year-old’s win at the Utilita Arena, following performances by several nominees, including FKA Twigs and Martin Carthy.

Judge Eleri said: “After much hard discussion, we decided on one album that stood out for its cohesion, character, and ambition.

“It felt like a classic album, one that will take pride of place in record collections for years to come.”

Accepting the award, Fender expressed gratitude to the other nominees, saying, “we’re in great company”.

He dedicated the prize to his late friend and mentor, Annie Orwin, who inspired the album’s title track.

“I want to just say thank you because I never did to the person, the song that People Watching is about,” Fender said, becoming emotional.

“I want to dedicate it to Annie Orwin who’s up there.

“That’s all I’ve got thank you, and I love, this region is the best region in the country.”

Among other nominated artists were Pulp, Wolf Alice, FKA Twigs, PinkPantheress, Pa Salieu, Emma-Jean Thackray, Jacob Alon, Joe Webb and Martin Carthy.

If Wolf Alice or Pulp had won the prize, they would have become only the second artist to have won the award twice after PJ Harvey, who won it with Stories From The City in 2001 and Let England Shake in 2011.

Pulp won the prize in 1996 with their album Different Class, while Wolf Alice won with Visions Of A Life in 2018.

Established in 1992, the award honours the best album released by a British or Irish artist each year.

Last year, the indie quartet English Teacher took home the prize for their debut album This Could Be Texas.

Fender had been nominated before in 2022 for his album Seventeen Going Under.