 Ramsays
Great British Nightmare
Channel 4, 30 January 2009, 21:00 - 23:00
Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare follows the chef, Gordon Ramsay, as he takes on
failing restaurants and attempts to turn them around. He tackles amongst other
things, poor management, inferior cooking and unacceptable levels of hygiene.
Ofcom received 51 complaints from viewers about the programme broadcast on 30
January 2009 from 21:00. They objected to the frequency and sustained nature of
the use of the most offensive language (i.e . “fuck”, “fucking” and “fucked”).
Ofcom noted that the first two parts of the programme, broadcast between 21:00
and 21:40, contained 115 instances of the most offensive language.
Ofcom considered Rule 2.3 of the Code (offensive content must be justified by
context).
Ofcom Decision: Breach of Rule 2.3
In assessing the wider context of this programme, Ofcom noted that:
- the channel provided pre-transmission information about the level
of language in the programme: “strong language from the start and
throughout”
- this was a two hour programme compared to the usual one hour
- the contributors as well as Gordon Ramsay used the most offensive
language;
- offensive language was often used at times of emotion and stress
which typifies the series as a whole.
- The likely audience expectation for this programme
Ofcom recognised that Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare differed slightly
from the usual Kitchen Nightmares strand in as much as it was a two hour
special featuring not one but two failing restaurants. The result was that parts
one and two of the programme where Gordon Ramsay traditionally gives his
unvarnished opinion - and which often results in confrontation - was twice as
long. As a consequence this amplified significantly the effect of the language
on the viewer.
Given the programme’s well-established reputation for using the most offensive
language, Ofcom accepts that the vast majority of the audience comes to the
programme with certain expectations. However, on this occasion there were 115
examples of the most offensive language i.e. “fuck” and its derivatives, in the
first 40 minutes of the programme. In the first 15 minutes there were a total of
37 examples. The second part of the programme, between 21:20 and 21:40,
contained a further 78 examples. Ofcom also noted that much of the offensive
language was delivered in an extremely intense and at times aggressive manner.
The most aggressive scene, which Channel 4 admits contributed to the overall
tally of strong language in the programme, occurred in part two of the programme
where, at approximately 21:30, a restaurant chef angrily berated his boss
shouting the word “fucking” at him 30 times in less than two minutes.
The broadcaster and the audience has a right to freedom of expression.
Importantly, the programme purports to show real life situations and record them
as they unfold. (However, we note that in the acquired American version of this
programme Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares USA, the level of strong language is
considerably less, but in very similar intense circumstances). As Channel 4
points out the audience expects to see the drama and conflict played out before
some form of resolution is reached. Therefore, to limit completely the
transmission of a programme such as this would be a disproportionate restriction
and could result in a chilling effect on broadcasters’ output. Nevertheless,
freedom of expression may be limited and should at all times be balanced by the
requirement on the part of the broadcaster to apply generally accepted standards
to ensure adequate protection for members of the public from offensive material.
In Ofcom’s view, by broadcasting this particular programme at this time after
the watershed, Channel 4 did not apply generally accepted standards. This is due
to the unexpected and sheer intensity and level of swearing in the first two
parts of the programme. The strong language had not been used as a comedic
device or as part of a characterisation but was at times extremely aggressive
and, as described by complainants, “gratuitous” and “unreal”. Ofcom therefore
concluded that it was not warranted since there was not sufficient editorial
justification or context in this programme for the level and intensity of
swearing in the first two parts of the programme, transmitted between 21:00 and
21:40.
The audience has a good understanding that as the evening progresses the context
changes and material is likely to become more challenging and may contain
frequent and strong language. However, where viewers have established
expectations for a particular programme, at a particular time, broadcasters
should carefully consider the impact of any significant editorial changes which
may subsequently challenge those expectations. It was clear to Ofcom that the
frequency and nature of the most offensive language in the earlier parts of this
programme and at the time it was broadcast deviated seriously and significantly
from previous editions, because this was the first time Channel 4 had broadcast
a two hour edition of Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare, starting at
21:00. As a direct consequence the scale, frequency and way in which the most
offensive language was delivered in the first two parts of this programme, went
significantly beyond what could be reasonably anticipated by regular viewers -
at this time of the evening – and resulted in a breach of the Code.
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