Radio 1 slammed over Ali G outburst

Watchdogs have slammed Radio 1 over Ali G's four-letter outburst on Sara Cox's breakfast show.

The Broadcasting Standards Commission has upheld complaints by 13 listeners about swearing and innuendo during the live interview in February.

The commission said it was "extremely concerned by the lack of editorial control exercised during the interview", which gave Ali G the opportunity to swear, and use sexual innuendo and offensive language without any significant intervention from the production team".

The timing of the broadcast, when significant numbers of children might have been listening, was condemned as "wholly inappropriate".

The BBC has promised to tighten its rules on live interviews after the outburst., in which Baron Cohen used the word 'motherfucker' and made vulgar comments about drug smuggling and Jennifer Lopez.

Cox and Radio 1 later apologised on air.

Published: 25 Apr 2002