Chris Evans Reprimanded

In its February Complaints Bulletin the Broadcasting Standards Council upheld in part two complaints about an item on Chris Evans’s BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show. One listener was offended by an item about a sex aid and erections, the second by a joke about oral sex. The BBC argued that the innuendo would only have been understood by adults and so would not have affected younger listeners.

There were also complaints about the sleazy content and ‘yob-culture’ of Blind Date (not upheld) and about a sketch on Smith and Jones featuring Christ and sanitary towels.

The ITC, in its January TV advertising complaints report, upheld 56 complaints about the campaign for Accurist watches, which implied that women’s sexual favours could be bought for the price of a watch. 17 viewers complained about the recent drink-driving ad featuring a man in a vegetative state after a car crash, though these were not upheld; and 8 people complained about the repeated use of “asshole” in the current Holsten Pils ad (not upheld but guidance given).

BSC: 0171 233 0544

ITC: 0171 255 3000