Too offensive for TV? BBC slaps warnings on 5 episodes of The Office, sparking viewer backlash!
The BBC has slapped another beloved sitcom with trigger warnings as five episodes have been flagged for ‘d1scrim1natory language’.
The Office, the hit mockumentary sitcom created by comedians Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, famously stars Ricky as paper company boss David Brent.
Both series of the noughties programme were already labelled with a G symbol on BBC iPlayer, which flags parental guidance for younger viewers.
But nearly half of the BBC series’ 14 episodes, following life at Wernham Hogg’s Slough office, now also carry the additional content notice.
In series one, which aired in 2001, the first and last episodes – Downsize and Judgement – bear the alert.
Meanwhile, a whopping half of the second series, released in 2002, has been hit with trigger warnings – episodes one, three and five, named Merger, Party and Charity.
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The BBC has slapped another beloved sitcom with trigger warnings as five episodes have been flagged for ‘d1scr1minatory language’. Pictured: File photo
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The Office (pictured), the hit mockumentary sitcom created by comedians Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, famously stars Ricky as paper company boss David Brent
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Both series of the noughties programme were already labelled with a G symbol on BBC iPlayer, which flags parental guidance for younger viewers
The Office, now considered one of the best British sitcoms of all time, took home a whole host of awards when it first hit our screens.
It won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2004, making it the first ever British comedy to take home a gong at the ceremony.
Ricky also received the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy in the same year.
Its success lead to an American spin-off version in 2005, starring Steve Carell in the equivalent of Ricky’s role.
The US programme ran to an impressive nine series and just over 200 episodes, ending in 2013.
The British version of The Office is just the latest of a run of sitcoms and classic TV shows to be hit with trigger warnings.
Only Fools and Horses was hit with various disclaimers around ‘racial language’, words that ‘may offend’ and ‘dated attitudes and behaviours’ earlier this year.
Only two of seven series of the eighties hit show – which is available to watch on ITV and often reruns on digital channel U&Gold – did not have any episodes at all slapped with the warnings.
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The Office, now considered one of the best British sitcoms of all time, took home a whole host of awards when it first hit our screens
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Its success lead to an American spin-off version (pictured) in 2005, starring Steve Carell (centre) in the equivalent of Ricky’s role
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Only Fools and Horses (pictured) was hit with various disclaimers around ‘racial language’, words that ‘may offend’ and ‘dated attitudes and behaviours’ earlier this year
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Meanwhile, a series of episodes (pictured) of the third series of Doctor Who, which had previously been declared ‘missing from the archives’, was also hit with a warning back in April
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ITV put a notice on some episodes of beloved seventies show George And Mildred (pictured) in March – saying they contain ‘classic British humour from a bygone era’
Meanwhile, a series of episodes of the third series of Doctor Who, which had previously been declared ‘missing from the archives’, was also hit with a warning back in April.
The lost instalments, called The Savages, which star the first ever Time Lord William Hartnell, first aired back in 1966, with an animated remake released on DVD in March.
But it was put out with a string of warnings attached from the British Board of Film Classification, saying it contained ‘verbal references to discrimination and the d1scr1minatory social structure of an alien society’.
Also, ITV put a notice on some episodes of beloved seventies show George And Mildred in March – saying they contain ‘classic British humour from a bygone era’.
The show, which ran for five series from 1976 until 1979, follows George and Mildred Roper, played by Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy, a constantly-sparring married couple.
And the broadcaster was ridiculed for over-protecting its viewers, with Free Speech Union founder Toby Young saying: ‘George And Mildred? Really? What’s next?
‘The Magic Roundabout on the grounds that viewers with hyperactivity disorder may find the character of Zebedee triggering?’
Other shows that have been hit with similar warnings include Fawlty Towers, ‘Allo ‘Allo, Terry and June, The IT Crowd, Hi-de-Hi! and Father Ted.
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