Chris Evans’ Radio 2 breakfast show is to be investigated by media regulator Ofcom after Jeremy Irons swore live on air.
Irons said “fucked” during an anecdote about fellow thespian John Hurt while being interviewed on the programme, which is listened to by nearly 10 million listeners a week, including a large proportion of children.
Evans and Irons were quick to apologise after the incident last month, and when a fellow guest made a joke about it later in the show Evans told them: “You can’t make fun of it, you have got to stop.”
Ofcom said it had received one complaint about the broadcast on 18 March and said it would be investigating the programme for use of offensive language before the 9pm watershed.
Jeremy Irons f-bomb on Chris Evans' Radio 2 show by AudioPoo via #soundcloud https://t.co/3vJN7AHMCM
— John Plunkett (@johnplunkett149) April 25, 2016
Irons was telling Evans and his listeners about a coffee he once had with Hurt.
“John and I were moaning about [good young actors],” said Irons.
“And he said, ‘You know what I do when I find a good actor? I say to him, ‘You have a wonderful voice. Have you ever listened to it?’ And the actor is fucked’.”
Evans responded: “You can’t say that, I apologise on your behalf, can you apologise on your behalf?”
“I am really sorry,” said Irons. “I didn’t say that, the actor is bleeped, the actor is bleeped.”
He added: “When we are at home we say these things, I am most terribly sorry if anyone is offended … or their children. I’m so embarrassed I can’t talk. It’s so relaxed and so normal in here.”
“A little too relaxed maybe,” said Evans.
Another guest in the studio joked: “What does it feel like to have brought Radio 2 to its knees?” Evans replied: “You can’t make fun of it, you have got to stop.”
A spokeswoman for Radio 2 said: “As we said at the time, the guests were all briefed ahead of the programme to remind them they were taking part in a live broadcast.
“After Jeremy accidentally swore, both he and Chris immediately apologised to listeners.”
