Banana Ban At BBC: Employee’s Allergy Prompts Fruit Ban At The Beeb

Staff at the BBC’s new Broadcasting House have self-imposed a ban on bananas in the office, to protect a staff member, who is allergic to the fruit. According to a report from The Telegraph, posters have been put up around the office showing a picture of a banana, with a big cross through it, reminding everyone of the ban.

A spokesperson for the BBC claimed today that the ban was issued by members of staff themselves, rather than by the corporation. They had done so, out of concern for the reporter’s welfare and to make other people in the new building aware of her condition. Her allergy is said to lead to “severe symptoms,” though they are not thought to be fatal. “The posters placed in specific areas of the newsroom have been put up by staff out of courtesy for a fellow colleague who has a strong medical sensitivity to bananas which can lead to severe symptoms,” the spokesperson said.

It is understood that banana allergies can come in two main forms. The first can take the form of a rash, tingling of the lips, throat and tongue, or sickness. A more extreme form of the allergy can send the sufferer into anaphylactic shock, resulting in the constriction of the mouth, throat and airways. In extreme cases, this can lead to death.