BBC faces backlash after paying Katie Price for documentary as she avoids jail for BMW crash while under the influence
THE BBC has been slammed for reportedly paying Katie Price to appear in a show airing after she avoided jail for a drink-drive smash.
Katie Price: What Harvey Did Next was commissioned before the crash, which saw the reality star flip her BMW after taking cocaine and downing vodka.
The broadcaster has now come under fire for scheduling the show to air tomorrow night following Katie's drink-drive antics.
It has also been blasted amid claims she was paid to appear in the programme, the Daily Mail reports.
A source said: "The commissioning of this show has gone down like a lead balloon among some staff.
"They can't believe Katie is being paid and given airtime after she could have killed someone."
BBC viewers have reacted with fury on social media and vowed to boycott the show.
One said: "This is an outrageous abuse of license funds!
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"Who wants to watch this woman: she's a bankrupt, who flouts the law & takes holidays & you think we want to watch this trashy bimbo?"
Another fumed: "Monday night at 9pm prime time viewing @bbc
have an hour long episode with Katie Price is this what people pay their licence fee for..
"A woman who recently was in court for drink driving offence and narrowly missed jail. Talentless, self promoting just how much have they paid her".
While one said: "@BBC why are you giving a drunk, drink driver Air time, absolutely livid! #katieprice".
'LUCKY'
The documentary was originally axed after Katie pleaded guilty to drink-driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
It explores son Harvey's move to college as Katie tells all about her struggle to cope with the transition.
The show is a follow up to the widely-acclaimed documentary Katie Price: Harvey and Me.
A preview shows the ex-glamour model revealing she was left spiralling into anxiety when Harvey moved into the residential school three hours’ drive away from their Sussex home in August last year.
She says: "There’s no one to blame for me getting in that car but myself.
“But if people could see, that night, what was going on in my head . . . I wasn’t telling myself not to get in the car. I just thought, ‘I need to go’. So I’m lucky nothing happened.”
'ABOVE THE LAW'
The reality star said she was driving to see a pal because she was "lonely" when she overturned her BMW in Horsham, West Sussex, in September.
Katie was warned by JPs she could be facing jail but was instead handed a 16-week prison sentence suspended for a year, 100 hours community service and ordered to attend 20 rehab sessions.
Her driving ban was also extended for two years and she must pay £213 in costs on top of the £7,358 she already owes the court.
Sentencing in December, District Judge Amanda Kelly said: "When you chose to get behind the wheel that night you showed no concern for others.
"You could have killed somebody. Your actions meant the emergency services had to use up their precious time.
"You knowingly and deliberately flouted a court order and not for the first time.
"You seem to think you are above the law."
The judge also said Price, who has six previous driving convictions, had "one of the worst driving records I have ever seen".
She added: “The public may well be appalled to know I am not able to send you to prison today… you deserve to spend Christmas behind bars.”
The BBC said: "This film is very much focused on Harvey. It does address Katie Price's arrest, following her car accident, in the context of how Harvey's life would be impacted if something had happened to his mum."
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