 ANGRY Liverpool fans have criticised the BBC for enlisting the man behind the infamous “truth” coverage of the Hillsborough disaster for one of its Comic Relief events. Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour yesterday launched its fundraising efforts with a competition to choose a male co-presenter for a day. But former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie is among the three options listeners can vote for. Nick Harman, who was organised an online petition calling for the BBC to drop MacKenzie from their Christmas Day schedules, said: “Red Nose Day is one of the days that the BBC paints a wonderful picture of itself and the meaning behind this day is wonderful and has made a difference to many lives less fortunate than ourselves. “However, the choice of Kelvin MacKenzie is either a very poor attempt to attract more votes towards the other two or another huge error on the Beeb’s part. Why does the BBC continue to soil its own good with the hiring of this man? ” MacKenzie has been pitted alongside high-speed crash survivor Richard Hammond, who presents Top Gear, and writer Andy Hamilton. Women’s Hour listeners are asked to ring in for their choice, with proceeds from the calls going to the telethon. The winner will present the show alongside Martha Kearney on Red Nose Day, Friday, March 16. Protesters have inundated the BBC with complaints every time it commissions MacKenzie to appear. The campaign was sparked by the Daily Post’s revelations that he had told an audience of businessmen: “I was not sorry then and I’m not sorry now” during an event last year. A spokeswoman for Radio 4 said: “We wanted to find three very different men for listeners to choose from, and you don’t get much more different than those we have chosen. “Ultimately, it is for our listeners to choose which one of those becomes a co-presenter for the day.” | 
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