ITV Rapped By ITC For Showing Adult Programming Next To Kids TV Slot

The ITC upheld 41 viewer complaints against ITV over its scheduling of a drama with adult content immediately after children’s afternoon programming. The series, Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married, was originally shown at 10pm as part of the late night schedule.

The programme follows the lives and loves of three young women sharing a flat in London and was aimed at a young adult audience. In preparation for its early evening slot editing and re-voicing were carried out, but viewers were concerned that the language and general sexual tone were not suitable for the time of day it was shown, when children would make up a large part of the audience.

ITV licensee LWT argued that the underlying tone and structure of the series was “not dissimilar to some teatime soaps”, but the ITC decided that although soaps dealt with similar issues, their approach was “less adult in both language and portrayal.” In particular a sex scene in one episode and the explicit sexual tone and language in another were deemed inappropriate for the teatime slot, and since the ITC considered that “insufficient account was taken of the likely audience composition”, these episodes were found to be in breach of the Programme Code.

ITC: 020 7255 3000 www.itc.org.uk

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