No jokes allowed

The Royal Family has banned a comedy show about Prince William’s wedding.

Plans for a three-and-a-half hour live comic commentary on Friday’s event have had to be scrapped by Australia’s ABC network after Clarence House made its unprecedented intervention.

Prince Charles’s office reminded the public-service broadcaster that any use of the live footage in a ‘comedy, satirical or similar entertainment programme’ would be in breach of rules governing use of the BBC feed.

Until the last-minute move quashed the idea, the ABC had given the controversial Chaser comedy team the run of its second channel during the duration of the ceremony. The team are known for stunts such as breaching security at a conference of world leaders in Sydney in 2007, dressed as Osama Bin Laden.

Kim Dalton, director of ABC TV told the Sydney Morning Herald: ‘We're surprised and disappointed at this very late stage to be informed that any satirical or comedic treatment of the marriage of Australia's future Head of State has been banned.

‘Clearly, the BBC and Clarence House have decided The Chaser aren't acceptable. We thought Australians would appreciate an alternative take on this major event.’

Other Australian networks are still planning light-hearted coverage of the wedding, with Channel Nine using Dame Edna Everage as a commentator.

The Chaser's Julian Morrow said: ‘For a monarchy to be issuing decrees about how the media should cover them seems quite out of keeping with modern democratic times .... but I suppose that's exactly what the monarchy is.’

Published: 27 Apr 2011