SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan, who was caught swearing after a Nolan TV debate, has said he had been left “incredibly frustrated” over not being given the chance to respond on the show.
The Foyle assembly member was a guest on Wednesday night’s programme and a brief awkward moment occurred when he appeared to stifle a swear word after realising he would not be getting another chance to speak.
BBC NI has since said a swear word was used by a contributor “off-mic” and regrets “any upset caused”.
They added that the programme remained “available in edited form on BBC iPlayer.”
Stephen Nolan apologised to Mr Durkan on his BBC Radio Ulster show on Thursday.
Guests on the show were discussing the controversial allocation of £710,000 for a soccer pitch at Derry’s Lisneal College.
The awarding of the money by the Education Authority has led to denials by DUP politicians that the party had any influence on the decision, after it was reported that education minister Paul Givan and party colleagues met with the school last year.
Mr Givan has claimed the school has since been “victimised and targeted in a very political manner”, while DUP Foyle MLA Gary Middleton accused some online commentators critical of the funding of “blatant sectarianism”.
Mr Durkan said he had wanted to respond to Mr Middleton’s claims, but after a caller named Mark from Derry spoke, Stephen Nolan said “Mark in Londonderry, I’m happy to talk to you tomorrow on the Nolan radio show, we’ll continue with this”, before thanking all guests and ending the debate.
As the camera returned to the Foyle MLAs in the Derry studios, Mr Durkan could be heard saying: “There’s another Mark in Derry f*** sake,” while shaking his head.
The remarks led to several seconds of awkward silence in the studio before the host moved on.
On Thursday Nolan apologised to Mr Durkan on his Radio Ulster show as the Lisneal College row was again discussed.
“We should have given you more time last night, that’s my fault, I apologise to you,” the broadcaster told the MLA before the discussion resumed.
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Speaking about the episode Mr Durkan told The Irish News: “It was incredibly frustrating to sit in a studio and listen as a DUP politician accused me and other MLAs of sectarianism in an attempt to deflect from the education minister’s failure to explain how this funding was allocated.
“I felt the least I deserved was the chance to reply, but accept the apology I was offered on the Nolan Show on Thursday morning.
“The SDLP prides itself on being anti-sectarian and myself and others have done a huge amount of work in Derry over the years to improve community relations.”
He said the comments from Mr Middleton were “not only disgraceful” but “threaten to undermine all that good work on both sides of the community”.
He added of his apparent swearing: “I may have let my frustrations get the better of me, but it’s fair to say we have heard much worse on the Nolan Show over the years.”
Mr Middleton told the Irish News of his appearance on the show: “I stand by everything I said, and despite £7.9million being spent on 56 other schemes, only one has been singled out, and that’s Lisneal College.
He added: “I have no objection to any school getting funding, but it appears the SDLP and others are jumping on this.
“For me, I believe they are singling out the school, on the basis it is the only state school. I have also seen sectarian comments made by social media users under posts about this issue, and I think those should be called out.”