GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JUNE 20: Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin does a DJ set at the pre-match fan zone during a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifier between Scotland and Georgia at Hampden Park, on June 20, 2023, in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ross MacDonald/SNS Group via Getty Images)
The BBC has upheld a complaint that Pat Nevin lied about two or three Celtic fans punching Lawrence Shankland.
It never happened. It was entirely fabricated by Nevin while acting as co-commentary of BBC 5 Live on May 16.
Nevin was at Celtic Park where Celtic clinched the SPFL Premiership title with a 3-1 victory over Hearts.
That outcome obviously caused deep distress to the CEO that took Motherwell into administration in 2002.
For years Nevin has struggled to contain his dislike for Celtic.
During the eighties was never slow to declare his support for the hoops.
As his playing days ended and a media career opened up Nevin dropped his support for Celtic.
Various excuses were offered up while he accepted payment from Chelsea under the ownership of Roman Abromovich.
Celtic’s title win proved to be too much for the so-called Hibs fan.
PAT NEVIN TELLS LIES LIVE ON BBC
Celtic fans were on the pitch after Callum Osmand scored their third goal, no one punched Shankland.
Nevin was paid for his contribution to commentary from BBC Five Live.
He lied live on air with no evidence from Sky Sports or BBC to back up his fantasies.
No comment was made from the BBC or Nevin in the weeks after the lies were broadcast.
Yesterday, tucked away on the BBCÂ website was a typical qualified apology.
Complaint
During a pitch invasion towards the end of the Hearts v Celtic match, the commentator Pat Nevin said two or three Celtic fans had punched the Hearts Captain. Two listeners complained this was untrue.  The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the BBC’s editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
The scenes at the end of the match were chaotic, and Mr Nevin and his co-commentators were trying to give listeners an impression of events as they unfolded, with no opportunity for verification before speaking. Mr Nevin subsequently acknowledged that he should not have stated definitively that the Hearts Captain had been punched by Celtic fans. The ECU accepted that this was an honest error made in the heat of the moment, but concluded that it fell below the BBC’s editorial standards of accuracy.
Nevin covered Celtic’s Champions League matches against LASK without any apology or reference to his lies.
Nevin was part of the BBC jolly to the World Cup Finals during the summer.
He is in good company at BBC Scotland alongside Kenny Macintyre, Tom English, Alasdair Lamont, Andy Halliday, Jane Lewis, Steven Thompson and dozens more.
The BBC is entirely funded by the TV licence.
During 2025 there was a drop of 539,000 in the number of people paying the BBC tax.
Those nice friendly anti Celtic SMSM types are saying that Pat Nevin ‘breached ‘ broadcasting standards with his defamatory lies about Celtic fans on the radio – live ? It’s almost like saying Nevin felt sorry for Hearts and his emotional distress caused him to say a few things out of character and they still regard him as unsackable and vital to the good name of the BBC..in every way possible ? Why not make him head of BBC Scottish version of Sports ? He definitely fits the bill as being one of the ‘in crowd ?’
An honest error?So he was hallucinating?Was wee trendy Pat on psychedelics then?What about our own Packie Bonner who made very similar assertions on radio shortbread any retraction or apology from him?
So Nevin ” honestly ” saw something that didn’t happen?
How is that possible?
Is Trump working for the BBC?
If you can stop supporting Celtic then you are no Celtic supporter. Nevin is a soup taking weasel.
An honest mistake, where have we heard that before.
‘Honest error’ the broadcasting equivalent of referees ‘honest mistakes’?
Just another dull as f*ck ‘ pundit ‘ who knows the only way to keep his cushy job at the BBC is to have a go at Celtic