Watchdogs warn over pop acts

Two performances by pop stars Holly Valance and Christina Aguilera on the children's Saturday morning ITV show CD:UK brought complaints from parents.

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) rejected the 13 complaints but said it "sympathised with the viewers' concerns.

Both stars have courted controversy with recent performances, with Valance appearing to be naked in the video to her debut single Kiss Kiss.

Aguilera recently performed live on the programme with leather chaps and only her underwear underneath, with the word Nasty written on the rear.

The ITC ruling said: "Undoubtedly some performers and music videos are more suggestive than in the past, reflecting considerable changes in society with regard to sexual behaviour as well pop music's inherent 'boundary pushing' nature.

"There will always be some performers who deliberately court controversy for one reason or another. However regular monitoring by staff found that such performers did not dominate the programme.

"The ITC appreciates that parents and others are naturally concerned about the messages they believe certain images appear to send to children."

It also warned ITV "of the need to be vigilant at times when large numbers of children are watching".

The network said that it edited lyrics or titles of songs if they were deemed to be too adult for the audience.

The programme has been in trouble before. It was criticised a month ago after pop star Pink appeared wearing a t-shirt with offensive language on it.

CD:UK's sister programme, SMTV, got in trouble two year ago when former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash described a sex act during an interview with presenter Cat Deeley.