Top Gear Criticised by Ofcom over Spoof Ads

BBC motoring show “Top Gear” was criticised by Ofcom, the television watchdog, yesterday for showing scenes of a man killing himself during an advertisement. The ad was shown before the 9pm watershed.

Ofcom stated that the program breached the broadcasting regulations targeted to protect children from violence. The advert was a spoof for Volkswagen that showed a man shooting himself in the head and aired on August 2. The watchdog said that the scene also included a shot of the man lying in a pool of blood. There were 50 viewers that complained about the ad, they continued, which they felt was too unsuitable and graphic for the 8pm broadcast since kids were watching.

“Top Gear” has had its fair share of controversy, with hosts Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond attracting attention from the regulator as if it was a routine. Ofcom dismissed 339 complaints last year after Clarkson made a joke about lorry drivers killing prostitutes.

However, the watchdog said yesterday that, due to the show’s typical humor, viewers watching with children wouldn’t have expected a violent scene like this to appear. They noted that there was no warning that the ad may be unsuitable for kids before it aired. With these factors put together, Ofcom concluded that there was no justification for the advertisement.

The broadcaster noted the finding, and the show will return to BBC Two on Sunday. However, it will be shown at 9pm instead to avoid trying to compete with “X Factor” on ITV. “Top Gear” executive producer Andy Wilman said that, with “X Factor”, they didn’t have a choice. They know when to back off and wait until it’s over, he added.

Written by Dave Hubertt on November 10, 2009 · Filed Under Business, Entertainment 

Comments

One Response to “Top Gear Criticised by Ofcom over Spoof Ads”

  1. james on November 10th, 2009 12:46 pm

    wah freaking wah. oh somebody please think of the children!

    who gives a ruddy toss? honestly it is SO SAD that this is the pathetic state of our country where, instead of being upset by meaningful, wordly offenses we actually give these retards who only complain about what papers tell them to, the light of day to moan about this tripe.

    was the joke a bit bad taste? sure. was it funny? sure. do we need to start whining once again? NO!