Live reading for banned episode

The cast of Family Guy are to perform a live version of the notorious abortion episode deemed too contentious for TV.

Executives at the Fox network have chosen not to air the episode, in which matriarch Lois agrees to be a surrogate mother – but then has to decide what t do with the foetus when the friend she is carrying the baby for unexpectedly dies.

But now actors including creator Seth MacFarlane are to stage a public reading of the script at Hollywood's Ricardo Montalban Theatre next Wednesday.

‘The subject matter makes it sound like the raciest thing we've ever done, but it's a balanced episode,’ Macfarlane told Variety. ‘The whole last act of the show is one long debate by the family over the issue.’

Macfarlane previously said: 'We thought it would be the responsible thing to do an abortion episode and Fox allowed us to produce the episode, and then said, "You know what? We are scared to fucking death about this episode." So they allowed us to put it on the DVD instead.'

Published: 6 Aug 2009