ITV has issued an apology after an editing error resulted in an unedited clip of Gordon Ramsay using explicit language being aired on a repeat of "Food Stars USA." The incident, which occurred in May, involved the f-word appearing twice in on-screen subtitles at 8:25 a.m., despite the audio having been censored.
Ofcom Ruling
The broadcast prompted an investigation by Ofcom, the UK's media regulator. Ofcom's code strictly prohibits the most offensive language from being shown on television before the 9 p.m. watershed. In its written ruling, Ofcom stated that the broadcast was a "clear example of the most offensive language being broadcast before the watershed." The regulator noted that "Food Stars USA" was a pre-recorded program, giving ITV2 ample opportunity to review and edit it prior to broadcast. Ofcom also considered the lack of an on-air apology from ITV2 following the incident.
ITV2 explained the error by stating that the subtitles were generated from a version of the program that had not been edited to remove offensive language. The channel has since implemented steps to ensure that any discrepancies between different versions of programming within its scheduling system are identified and corrected before broadcast. However, Ofcom concluded that these measures would not have mitigated the offense caused to viewers by the specific broadcast.
Previous Incidents
This is not the first time Gordon Ramsay's language has caused a stir on live television. Earlier this year, "This Morning" presenter Ben Shephard had to apologize after Ramsay inadvertently swore during a live cooking demonstration. The incident occurred when Ramsay accidentally knocked over a container of soy sauce while discussing his daughter's wedding, exclaiming, "Oh s**t." Shephard quickly intervened, apologizing for the slip-up due to the live nature of the broadcast.