Rob Delaney joins enforcement staff

Catastrophe star Rob Delaney has been signed up to front a new campaign to highlight the abuse faced by TV Licensing officers.

The comic has filmed a number of YouTube videos – released today as part of Anti-Bullying Month – and hosted a workshop for staff on how to tackle rude and aggressive customers.

Attacks on TV Licensing officers have more than doubled in the last year, form 37 to 89. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the difficulties faced by officers as they call on unlicensed households

Delaney also spoke out in favour of the licence fee funding of the BBC, currently under political pressure from the government.

'I've lived in Britain for nine months now and British television is so far superior to American television. I'm worried if the BBC was damaged or harmed in any way - for example the licence fee being taken away – that the UK would turn into a grey, rainy version of Florida.'

TV Licensing spokesman Jason Hill said: 'As a comedian, Rob has extensive experience dealing with verbal abuse, or heckling, on stage. We wanted him to share his experiences and methods of deflecting aggression with humour with our enquiry officers.

'Threats to our officers, however, are no laughing matter and one incident of abuse is one incident too many.'

Here are the videos:

Published: 2 Nov 2015