Comic fronts special on swearing

Frank Skinner has been commissioned to make a special edition of Panorama about bad language on TV.

The BBC’s decision to use a celebrity comedian for its most prestigious documentary strand may raise eyebrows, but insiders say Skinner is the perfect choice, since he has written eloquently about the subject.

Although he has a reputation his laddishness, the 51-year-old comic recently exorcised most of the swearing from his act.

Skinner has spent a day filming with regulators Ofcom, and interviewed several broadcasting executives for the programme. He has also reportedly spoken to Jonathan Ross about the scandal that led to his three-month suspension.

The programme will air in late January or early February, shortly after Ross returns to the BBC, and was commissioned partly in response to the media furore surrounding that incident.

Panorama reporter John Sweeney defended the decision to commission Skinner, telling The Guardian: ‘Taste and decency is a big issue for us. Who better than a comedian to talk about what works and what doesn't?’

Skinner has run into problems with broadcasting watchdogs before, having received complaints about an interview with Boy George, a sketch about the Taliban, and a Fantasy Football skit in which he and David Baddiel portrayed Sven-Goran Eriksson and Nancy Dell'Olio sex in a changing room.

Published: 24 Dec 2008