C5 porn reviews 'unacceptable'

Series on porn videos attracted 1.5 million viewers

A Channel 5 series which reviews porn movies has been strongly criticised by a television watchdog.

The Broadcasting Standards Commission said the 12-part X Rated series had tried to push the boundaries of what was acceptable on free-to-air television.

The show included a clip from an R18 video which can only be bought from a licensed sex shop.

However, Channel 5 said it was "surprised" by the decision and pointed out that of 1.3 million viewers for the series there had only been six complaints.

The series was promoting products that cannot be advertised on television

BSC standards committee

They included concerns about the use of pornographic material and lesbian and gay scenes.

The report which upheld the complaints was released by the standards committee of the BSC on Thursday.

It said: "The series was effectively promoting products that cannot be advertised on television and went beyond acceptable boundaries for a free-to-air terrestrial service."

The committee said the series was "consistent with a continuing process by Channel 5" to try to push the boundaries of acceptability.

A Channel 5 spokesman said such material formed a "tiny percentage" of the channel's output and was confined to two late night slots.

"It seems unfair in the extreme to single out Channel 5 for showing this type of material," said a spokesman.

Channel 5 has previously been criticised by the BSC for its Sex and Shopping series.