Little Britain edited for BBC One

Actor David Walliams as transvestite Emily Howard

Cult comedy Little Britain is being re-edited for its first outing on BBC One in December, the BBC has said.

Certain scenes in the character-based sketch show will be replaced with new footage shot especially for BBC One.

Graphic references - including those made in Daffyd's "the only gay in the village" sketches - are deemed unsuitable for a mainstream audience.

The second series of Little Britain recently made its debut on BBC Three, winning a record 1.8 million viewers.

Changes to the show are being made because of the audience differences between BBC One and its digital counterpart.

"BBC One has a broader audience and is more family-orientated. BBC Three is aimed at 25-34 year olds," said a spokeswoman for Little Britain.

"We would obviously have to make small editorial changes," she added.

Matt Lucas and David Walliams as Lou and Andy from Little Britain

Certain words or expressions have been changed, while some scenes have been replaced by alternatives to minimise the loss of comic impact.

The stars of the show, Matt Lucas and David Walliams, were aware of the proposed transfer to BBC One, and wanted to ensure both audiences would enjoy the programme.

Editing for the BBC One shows are still in progress, so the specific scenes to be amended remain unclear.

The second series has seen the return of popular characters from the first outing, including unconvincing transvestite Emily Howard, and Lou and Andy.

Newly revealed characters include the voluptuous Bubbles, who uses her feminine wiles to pay her health farm bill.

The first series of Little Britain also transferred to terrestrial television on BBC Two.