Stephen Fry launches attack on Channel 4's 'freak show' programmes

Last updated at 12:47 08 May 2008


Attack: Actor and comedian Stephen Fry has slammed Channel 4 for its 'lurid' factual programming

Actor and comedian Stephen Fry has launched a scathing attack on Channel 4's lurid programmes claiming it was in danger of descending into a 'freak show'.

Singling out the broadcaster's fixation with factual programmes about people with strange medical conditions, he claimed some shows were a "embarrassment for all concerned".

Speaking at an event about the BBC's future funding, he claimed: "Channel 4, always an uneasy hybrid of public duty ideals and free market commercialism, is finding it hard not to descend into freak show documentaries: The Man With A Nose Growing Out Of His Bottom, The Girl With 14 Nipples, and that kind of embarrassment for all concerned.

"So much so, that Channel 4's very existence and right to continue is being questioned."

He was using the speech at London's Millbank to say parts of the licence fee should not be sliced off from the BBC to help fund other broadcasters like Channel 4.

Channel 4 has threatened to axe shows like its flagship news programme as well as serious documentaries if it is not given millions of pounds in public assistance. There are currently discussions about whether parts of the licence fee should be shared out.

BBC2's QI presenter and star of ITV's hit drama Kingdom, also branded the BBC "naive" in not realising that lots of people were making illegal copies of its shows, which it is putting up on the internet through its new iPlayer service.

In theory viewers are only allowed to download programmes from the last seven days which can't be kept for longer than 30 days and are also protected against piracy.

But Fry claimed it was easy for hackers to make copies. He said: "There is this marvellous idea that the iPlayer is secure but it's anything but secure.

"The BBC is throwing out really valuable content for free.

"It shows about how the internet and digital devices work."

He even claimed he had recorded something from the iPlayer himself, joking that he would 'of course' be throwing it away because it was an illegal act.

A BBC spokesman claimed that hacking on its iPlayer service was at a very low level and was only being done by people with extremely high knowledge of the internet.

Fry appeared to suggest that the BBC's iPlayer antics were in danger of damaging the corporation's commercial rivals online.

Some will view the presenter's comments about Channel 4 with some cynicism as it is a broadcaster he does very little work for.

He used the speech largely to defend the BBC's privileged position as sole beneficiary of the licence fee.

He claimed that to reduce its 'economies of scale' as well as its artistic and social reach would be a "tragedy". He said: "It's simply that I don't want to live in a country that emasculates the BBC."

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