ITC Upholds Complaints On Model’s Language

The ITC has upheld two complaints against ITV’s flagship daytime show This Morning after a guest, model and actress Caprice Bourret made use of the word “cunt” during an interview.

The word was part of the title of a piece she was performing as part of the Vagina Monologues stage production. Bourret had been warned beforehand not to use “inappropriate terminology or visit inappropriate detail” but, according to a press statement she later issued in apology, had become used to using the word on stage and had not intended to offend viewers. Granada Television apologised for the unintentional offence and it was noted that the actress’s accent helped to mask the word somewhat, however, the ITC decided that the use of language was in breach of the Programme code.

In contrast the complaints of eight viewers offended by an item in Channel 4’s spoof betting show Banzai which showed a boy dressed as a choirboy consumed as many communion wafers as he could in 30 seconds were not upheld under the category of causing religious offence. Similarly 9 viewer complaints regarding violence, sexual portrayal, language and taste and decency during an episode of ITV drama Peak Practice the channel had decided to show pre-watershed at a late stage, were not upheld, as the problems raised by the scheduling change had already been discussed by the ITC and Carlton.

ITC: 020 7306 7743 www.itc.org.uk

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