TV viewers upset by chicken death

Campbell embarked on a wry adventure into Stewart's world

The BBC has received 63 complaints about a scene in the film Martha and Me, in which a chicken was beheaded.

The lighthearted BBC Two documentary saw British film-maker Jamie Campbell explore the phenomenon behind American lifestyle guru Martha Stewart.

The offending scene saw Campbell cut off the head of a chicken while preparing dinner according to Stewart's preference for fresh, organic produce.

A BBC spokeswoman said the footage was tailored for a post-watershed audience.

"The programe was created specifically for a post-watershed audience and went through the usual BBC procedures," a spokeswoman said.

Humane killing

She added that, prior to the event, Campbell had been trained on how to kill a chicken in "the most humane way" by local poultry farmers.

The spokeswoman added the chicken was "killed specifically to be eaten", meaning the animal's death was not gratuitous.

Campbell spent five months living in a trailer opposite the US jail where Stewart was sent for her role in a share scandal, meeting her fans and living his life according to Stewart's much-touted homemaking practices.

The film, which went out at 2100 BST on Monday, attracted 1.5 million viewers.