A tour of Jerry Springer, The Opera is in doubt, and some are saying it’s because Arts Council England bowed to pressure from religious groups and denied funding. But a Council spokesperson says: “The decision not to provide funding for the tour was financial, as the musical was already a ‘commercial success’, and not over fears of a religious backlash. It is nonsense to say that the Arts Council has refused to fund the tour of Jerry Springer over fears of protests from Christian groups, or anyone else.”