THE BBC has been flooded with a record number of protests after deciding to screen a show with more than 8,000 swear words. Jerry Springer The Opera includes 3,168 “F” words and 297 “C” words.
The Beeb has had 15,000 complaints about the show, to be screened by BBC2 on Saturday at 10pm. And TV watchdog Ofcom has had a record 4,500 protests — also the most it has ever received.
The two-hour programme is a film of the stage show about TV host Jerry Springer which won Best New Musical at the 2004 Olivier Awards.
His cult chat show features guests who often end up swearing, shouting and even attacking each other. Former Starsky and Hutch star David Soul, 61, plays Springer on stage.
Song titles include Pregnant By A Transsexual, Talk To The Ass and Here Come The Hookers. In one scene a man talks about his sex fantasy of being dressed up like a baby and there are also tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan members.
The show has also been accused of blasphemy over a row between Satan and Jesus, who wears a nappy and admits he is “a bit gay”.
BBC2 controller Roly Keating has promised it will “push back the boundaries of taste and decency”.
Clean-up campaigners have already written to BBC chairman Michael Grade demanding that the show is not screened.
John Beyer, boss of lobby group Mediawatch-UK, called it “pig-sty television”.
He said: “The stream of obscenities is not in accordance with BBC taste and decency guidelines. It is sick and offensive.”
Tory MP Peter Luff, who has seen the stage show, added: “I consider myself broad-minded, but this show was seriously objectionable.
“I do not believe in censorship, and I will defend robustly the right of a theatre to put on a play that some find offensive.
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He's got Soul ... David in opera
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“But to show it on television where there is a danger children could see it is irresponsible. I am bitterly disappointed an organisation for which I have such high regard should betray its public duty.”
The possibility that children may see the programme has also angered the Church of England.
The Bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch, said: “My worry is that this programme is a major departure from the current high expectations of viewers regarding offensive material on a publicly-funded public service channel.
“In addition, the timing of the broadcast, at 10pm, with a trailer programme at 9pm on a Saturday evening, raises the possibility that many older children may be drawn into watching.”
He added: “The BBC cannot afford to be careless of its heritage.”
The BBC is putting out a warning before broadcast alerting viewers to its content.
A spokeswoman said: “This is part of our commitment to bring opera to our television screens.
“We realise this will not be to everyone’s taste but people will be warned of the content before broadcast. This is an award-winning show.”
