David Bowie Video Removed By YouTube, Blasted By Church

‘The Next Day’ kicks up some controversy

Published 9th May 2013

David Bowie’s controversial video for ‘The Next Day’ has been temporarily removed from YouTube because of its graphic content.

Premiered earlier this week, the video stars Gary Oldman as a priest and is packed with religious imagery including Dark Knight Rises actress Marion Cotillard projectile bleeding from stigmata wounds.

On Tuesday the video was briefly removed from YouTube, however, a spokesperson later admitted they made the “wrong call”.

They said: "With the massive volume of videos on our site, sometimes we make the wrong call. When it's brought to our attention that a video has been removed mistakenly, we act quickly to reinstate it."

On top of the YouTube deletion, the video has also been lambasted as “juvenile” by former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey.

The 77-year-old told The Daily Telegraph: "If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery perhaps Christians should not worry too much at such an exploitation of religious imagery.

"I doubt that Bowie would have the courage to use Islamic imagery - I very much doubt it.

"Frankly, I don't get offended by such juvenilia - Christians should have the courage to rise above offensive language, although I hope Bowie will recognise that he may be upsetting some people."

Lifted from the number one album of the same name, ‘The Next Day’ is available to download right now.

CLICK HERE to watch ‘The Next Day’ video.