A show featuring a Derren Brown stunt broke broadcasting rules by showing the illusionist suffocating himself with a plastic bag when children could easily have seen and copied it.
Media regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into the programme, which featured a 14-minute segment where Brown suffocated himself and used the word “fuck” on multiple occasions.
The show, Something Wicked This Way Comes, aired on UKTV’s Watch channel at 9.10am on 6 December.
Ofcom said that it broke the broadcasting code for using the strongest foul language and showing a dangerous trick that children could easily imitate.
UKTV said that the show was broadcast during the day due to “human error” and should not have been shown before the 9pm watershed.
“We found this pre-watershed programme broke our broadcasting rules, because it included the most offensive language and dangerous behaviour that children could easily imitate,” said a spokeswoman for Ofcom.
“The programme contained a segment in which Derren Brown placed a transparent plastic bag over his head to restrict the air supply to his brain. We considered that this dangerous behaviour, which children could imitate, should not have been aired before the watershed.”
