Channel 4 apologises after Countdown airs offensive gay slur – Metro.co.uk
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Channel 4 has issued an apology after offending Countdown viewers by broadcasting a gay slur.
In an episode that aired earlier this week, a contestant gave the word p***ter as his seven-letter answer during one of the letters rounds and it featured in the programme uncensored.
Audiences complained about the decision not to remove the scene, with Pointless host Richard Osman saying he was shocked the word wasn’t removed from Monday’s show.
‘The contestant was embarrassed to be saying it, but in that situation the easy solution is to all agree he scored seven points and to retake with a different answer,’ he penned.
‘We’ve done that a couple of times with “correct” answers. A very easy fix, and not an uncommon one.’
‘Sorry to go serious on something quite trivial – but as someone who was called a “p***fter” by homophobes on a daily basis why on earth is Countdown allowing it to be said cheerfully as an answer on daytime television?’ another viewer fumed.
Another agreed, adding: ‘The committee of editors and producers who sat through recording and edit should have cut it. Very disappointing that it was broadcast.’
Channel 4 said that airing the word was an ‘error of judgement’.
‘It does not align with our values and we apologise for any offence caused,’ a spokesperson said.
The contestant who said the slur, Matt Gould, also apologised.
‘I thought it might be edited differently,’ he said. ‘At the time I said “I have an inappropriate seven that I know is in the dictionary or a riskier seven that I’m less sure about”.
‘I thought that bit would be reshot with a non-offensive seven letter word.’
The error comes weeks after new Countdown host Anne Robinson was left surprised when the anagram ‘megabitch’ popped up during one game.
Letters and numbers whiz Rachel Riley rearranged the board to display the word after comedian Rachel Parris noted the nine-letter word over in Dictionary Corner.
Countdown airs weekdays at 2.10pm on Channel 4.
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