‘Complainants Demand More Taste And Decency’ Say ITC

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) received a total of 539 complaints during August and September 1998, according to its Programme Complaints and Interventions Report Released today.

Complaints included Don’t Try This At Home (LWT) which showed Stevie Starr regurgitating a live goldfish. Carlton’s much-hyped series starring Denise Van Outen and Samantha Janus, Babes In The Wood, received complaints concerned with a comment made about a hare lip. Neither of these was upheld.

The ITC did uphold a number of complaints concerning violence. The Channel 5 series Pacific Blue was found by the Commission to have shown excessive violence which was in breach of the Programme Code.

The Stalker’s Apprentice (ITV/Scottish) had 6 complaints upheld against it which were concerned with the macabre nature of the programme and its depiction of murder. The portrayal of one of the murders in the psychological thriller concentrated on the disposal of the corpse, which was severely mutilated. The Commission received a total of 20 complaints concerned with violence.

Independent Television Commission: 0171 306 7743