Britain’s got nudes! Saucy dance troupe causes storm
...as teachers blast TV swearing
CLAD in nude bodysuits and striking raunchy poses, they could be performers from a seedy strip bar.
But these dancers will appear on Britain’s Got Talent tonight – before the watershed.
The six women and two men will audition in front of Simon Cowell and his fellow judges shortly after the ITV show starts at 7.15pm.
Last night campaigners said the performance was ‘inappropriate’, as they urged Ofcom to ‘bare its teeth’.
As the latest tawdry BGT act was unveiled, head teachers were delivering a separate attack on the programme over its language, including the phrase ‘ b****y hell’ before the watershed and a pensioner singing a song titled ‘Kiss My A**’ in a previous series.
The National Association of Head Teachers also listed a scene in which
‘Adult-themed content’
Cowell kisses fellow judge Amanda Holden on the bottom among a catalogue of inappropriate content shown before 9pm.
It called for programmes to carry warnings about adult themes and bad language – and said inappropriate content on pre-watershed shows robbed children of their innocence.
Steep fines should be levied on broadcasters that flout the 9pm watershed, it added, citing material such as an Emmerdale storyline involving a character threatening to get pregnant to avoid a jail sentence. At its annual conference in Birmingham today, the NAHT will launch a charter calling on schools, parents, broadcasters and watchdogs to keep unsuitable material away from children. Heads warned that childhood is being ‘eroded’ and now effectively ends before the age of 12.
Amanda Hulme, who is leading the campaign, said: ‘Parents should not feel alone in trying to hold back the tide of adult-themed content finding its way into their homes before 9pm or via internet-linked devices.’
She added that there would be ‘serious repercussions’ if she used foul language in front of children at school.
Vivienne Pattison of Mediawatch-UK said of the dance performance: ‘I don’t think this is right for 7.15 on a Saturday night … It’s a really sad sign of our time that this is allowed to be shown.’ Pippa Smith, of Safermedia, added: ‘Ofcom really needs to have more teeth and ensure ITV behaves more responsibly.’
An Ofcom spokesman said its research ‘shows the vast majority of adults believe the current level of TV regulation is about right’.
A spokesman for Britain’s Got Talent said: ‘As a family show we always make sure any acts shown are suitable viewing.’