Ofcom to investigate BGT over burlesque routine

Ofcom to investigate BGT over burlesque routine
Ofcom to investigate BGT over burlesque routine (Image credit: Ken McKay)

Ofcom is to investigate Britain's Got Talent after complaints from viewers about a raunchy routine in which a burlesque dancer stripped on stage. Tattooed performer Beatrix von Bourbon was seen last month peeling off her suit until she was standing on stage wearing stockings, knickers, a corset and nipple tassels before the watershed. Now the regulator is to probe the ITV1 broadcast after complaints from 70 viewers over concerns that it was unsuitable for a family audience. A spokesman for Ofcom confirmed it would be looking into whether the programme had fallen foul of the broadcasting code. The code says that children should be 'protected by appropriate scheduling from material that is unsuitable for them'. The routine featured in an edition of BGT which was originally screened at 8.20pm on March 31, but it was given an early afternoon repeat the following day at 1.05pm. It was broadcast twice more on ITV2 before the watershed. Just last year Ofcom met broadcasters to remind them of their responsibilities around the watershed. In a report it said: "In the entertainment and talent genres, particular areas of concern include the sexualised clothing and dance routines of performers and/or guest artistes." Von Bourbon, a dancer and fetish model who performs in lingerie and feathers with saucy routines in clubs, was put through to the next round of BGT after winning the approval of each of the judges. Producers censored the footage on the show by obscuring her chest with small gold stars.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.