The Independent Television Commission (ITC) today demanded that Channel 4 broadcast an apology over its controversial spoof paedophile documentary Brass Eye.
The television regulator ruled the programme, which sparked a flood of complaints when it was shown in July, had breached its code in two areas.
In a statement issued today in response to the complaints, the ITC accepted Channel 4 had failed to give adequate warnings about the nature of the programme and ruled that not enough care had been taken to avoid causing "gratuitous offence" to the viewer.
The ITC decided an appropriate course of action would be to take the rare step of asking Channel 4 to broadcast an apology, the details of which are yet to be finalised.
Channel 4 originally defended the programme, describing it as a "powerful satire on the way the media exploits and sensationalises the subject of paedophilia".
But announcing its decision today, the ITC said while they accepted that satire was an effective way of making statements about a range of issues, the broadcaster had failed to bear in mind the expectations of those watching.
They also ruled Channel 4 had breached the area of the code which required clear and specific warnings where viewers were likely to find the programme disturbing or offensive.
Brass Eyecaused a storm of controversy when it was screened in July, with the ITC receiving more than 1,000 complaints.
PA