X-Rated: The TV They Tried to Ban (2005)

Rating

2.0 of 10 from 2 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This documentary looks at controversial programs that pushed boundaries on British television. It features interviews with celebrities and critics who discuss offensive language, sexual content, and disturbing images that were broadcast over the years.

informativelightheartednostalgicprovocativeopinionatedentertainingmedia-critical

What happens

X-Rated: The TV They Tried to Ban is a 2005 British one-off television documentary examining controversial material on British television. It was first broadcast on Channel 4, at 10pm on Sunday 6 March 2005, as part of their "Banned" season, and was approximately 90 minutes long. The show was produced by Monkey Kingdom. The TV They Tried to Ban highlighted examples of offensive language, sexually explicit content and disturbing images on television. The documentary itself could have become notable as an explicit programme, but Ofcom received only one complaint for "Offence" caused by the documentary, and did not uphold it because the programme contained sufficient warnings (before it began, at the end of each advert break, and even within the documentary itself). It has been repeated many times, mainly on E4. It contained contributions from celebrities, media commentators, programme-makers and the critics of explicit broadcasts. Interviewees included Shaun Ryder, Caprice Bourret, Paul Ross, Stephen K Amos, Vince Powell, David Quantick, Garry Bushell and Charlie Parsons. The TV They Tried to Ban was light-hearted in its tone and narration; it was intended as entertainment rather than a solemn debate (containing gross-out humour and exaggerating Channel 4's role). It implied that 'Complainers' should not be so shocked by television programmes and should choose not to watch. Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" was played during its closing credits; the theme tune to the documentary was The Hives' "Hate to Say I Told You So". (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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