'Thieving Scouse' jokes are OK

A television watchdog has ruled that it is all right to joke that Liverpudlians are thieves.

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) received 19 complaints after Chris Tarrant made an anti-Scouser quip as he hosted the Bafta TV awards in April.

He joked that there was a new reality TV series in which the 12 contestants were Scousers, and viewers would tune in to see who stole the video first.

Tarrant was booed by some audience members at the time.

The ITC dismissed the complaints, saying it was a variation on an old joke and not meant to damage the reputation of Merseyside

Published: 10 Jun 2002