Channel 5 controller Ben Frow has defended its output, saying its tabloid-style show titles disguise quality programming that critics haven’t bothered to watch.
Responding to comments from artist Banksy, who on the launch of his theme park Dismaland apologised for “the lack of meaningful jobs, global injustice and Channel 5”, Frow said: “I am aggrieved about people making quotes like that.
“Look at the schedules, look at the programmes, watch the programmes and then make a judgment.
“My Banksy retrospectives will have to be cancelled.”
Frow said the channel had increased its share of viewing during the first half of 2015, and was doing a better job than competitors of attracting young people.
“If we made shit programmes about horrible people they wouldn’t keep returning,” he added.
Frow also defended the use of titles such as Psycho Pussies: When Cats Attack as necessary to get people to watch shows.
However, he admitted he made an error with Nanna Love: 50 Shades of Granny, about women going out with much younger men.
Frow also said the channel had made mistakes with some of its casting for Big Brother, particularly last year’s winner Helen Wood, who sparked more than 2,000 complaints to Ofcom over alleged bullying.
“I didn’t like Helen Wood, I think she is a bad person,” Frow said. “There comes a point with editorial ... I have to live with myself. Sometimes you have to draw the line.”
He said that since Viacom had bought Channel 5 from Express owner Richard Desmond last year “politically it couldn’t be more different. Viacom are a little more PC.”
However, he said that while the new US owners don’t “really understand me as a person ... essentially they let me get on with the job”.
He added that Viacom would increase the £200m the channel is able to spend on programming over the next year.
