back to article Gordon Ramsay breaches f**king broadcasting code

Ofcom has ruled that the 30 January culinary swearfest Ramsay’s Great British Nightmare - a two-parter which kicked off at 9pm - was in breach of the broadcasting code after racking up an impressive "115 instances of the most offensive language" in its first 40 minutes. The watchdog received 51 complaints about the programme …

COMMENTS

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  1. The BigYin
    IT Angle

    For F's Sake People!

    It's hardly unknown for Ramsay to swear. One could say he is renowned for it. In fact, one could go even further and say that he is feckin' famous for it! Given this, and given that the show aired after 2100, simply DO NOT WATCH IT! You bunch of stuck-up, jumped-up, self-important, middle class inbreeds. Jay-zuz wept. The TV even has an OFF button! Go do something less boring instead.

    This does not change my opinion of Ramsay (I think he's a total cock), but I will support his right to be a cock to the bitter end. It doesn't say much for Ramsay's lexicographical prowess if all he can do is repeat "fuck" a few times. There's far better ways to berate someone, and it does not always have to involve swearing.

  2. Richard
    Joke

    F#cking

    f#cking pansy ass mother f#ckers not got anything f#cking better to do than F#cking complain about f#cking Gordon Ramsey swearing his f#cking ass off!!!!

    Surely they must have something more important to do in their lives, like iron starch into their crusty tidy whities, or polish off their copy of an idiots guide to inserting a large stick in ones ass.

    If I was Ofcom I'd tell the compainers to f#cking stick their f#cking complaints up their tight asses (removing the stick from there first)

    /rantoff

    I feel so much better for that now

  3. Greg

    OMG, protect us from real life!

    As title

  4. Adam Salisbury
    Unhappy

    The Other Gordo

    He should be fired from a canon into the sun, it's such a shame that someone can climb to the most dizzying heights of celebrity just by being a angry, shouty little oik....is it bad that I want to open a failing resturaunt just to punch him??

  5. Dennis
    Paris Hilton

    Gordon - *ucking Ramsey

    I would love to cut his hands off and slap him around the face with them.

    If only to stop him smacking his hands together.

    He really annoys me but the wife like him. Funny though if I swear i get told off. If he does it, its because 'he is full of passion'

    Full of *hit if you ask me.

    Can I have a icon for 'He really annoys me but the wife like him'

    In the interim I will have a Paris because I like her but the wife doesn't!

  6. Ian Hunter
    Paris Hilton

    All of the complainers

    should shut the fuck up. Channel 4 issued warnings before the programme, so to sit there and complain is fucking stupid.

    They can stick their complaints up their stupid arseholes.

    Paris, cos she like to fu..

  7. Code Monkey

    Aw come on

    He's an obnoxious wanker. If you don't like swearing you know what to expect, watch something else or (gasp) switch the fucking telly off!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Heart

    Gordon Fking Ramsey

    What did they expect? It's well known that he's a swearing cnut!

    Besides, who are these people who find words like that offensive? In this day and age? come on! we watch people being blown to bits on tea-time news, but dont say "fuck" that may offend them! Fuck 'em, fucking halfwits.

  9. Aaron Gilliland
    Coat

    Shock horror

    The man's Scottish. And he's on TV.

    And he sucked at football.

    People should be surprised at how reserved his remarks were.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Red Triangle

    Bring back the Red Triangle - maybe have different coloured and shaped symbols for different types of (potentially) offensive content. Then someone joining the programme after the start (and thereby missing the warning) would know that they might not like the content. And it would help find the smut when channel surfing :)

    Broadcasters could go one step further - they could only show a coloured symbol 10 seconds before the potentially offending content (although in the case of Mr Ramsay, I guess the symbol would still be permanently displayed).

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    In response Gordon said:

    "**** **** you ***** ***** **** go **** your ***** you ***** donkey **** mother *****."

  12. Ralph B
    Thumb Down

    Fuck me

    The fucking fucker's fucked for all his fucking fucks all the fucking time.

  13. Scary

    proceeded?

    'proceeded by a “strong language from the start and throughout” warning ' - does that mean the warning came after the programme?

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    re: viewers complaint

    “The excessive use of bad language by Gordon Ramsay was just unreal and the abusive way in which he continually used it to speak to others, the use of the 'F' word once or twice maybe but it's continued used in almost every sentence was totally unnecessary. I know it was after 9.00 but there are limits…”

    Didn't stop you watching it though did it?

    It obviously wasn't going to get any less offensive, so if you watched the whole thing rather than say, changing the channel, you have no right to complain.

  15. Craig

    Would they complain to Ramsay?

    Oh FFS someone shut up the idiots who are submitting complaints... I think most people are aware that Gordon Ramsay swears a lot so if you find yourself easily offended by a frickin' word (which might be repeated a multitude of times) then CHANGE THE CHANNEL!

    Would be amusing to see how many of these people would still submit a complaint if they had to make the complaint directly to Gordon Ramsay. Well, maybe not amusing, more like hilarious...

    Maybe someone should introduce Chef Ramsay to the acceptable substitutes presented in such classics like Father Ted, Battlestar Galactica, and of course the almighty Farscape.

  16. Steve Jones
    Paris Hilton

    Well, fuck me...

    ...what a surprise

    It's a bit like watching golf and then complaining that it was boring.

    Paris, cos she like to f***...

  17. N

    Gordon Ramsay

    Thats fucking excellent restraint Gordon, well done

  18. Thomas Bottrill

    What?

    If you watch a show with Gordon Ramsay in it, you know there's going to be a lot of swearing.

    These 51 people probably watched it just so that they could be offended by it.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Well fuck a duck

    Gordon Ramsey in swearing outburst...It's outrageous I say...What is this country coming to? Next thing you know Jorden will be getting her norks out...

    Seriously though could have been worse...at least he didn't say cun*smack*

  20. Ken Hagan Gold badge

    30 times in less than two minutes

    You know, that's gotta be worth some sort of award. Is it on YouTube?

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    (untitled)

    How can anyone tune in to a Gordon Ramsay programme and then moan about the swearing? Where have they been for the last few years? Mars?

    IMO if swearing isn't acceptable then the public won't watch, and then there's a commercial reason for that programme type not to be made any more. On the other hand if folk do watch then it must be what they wanted.

  22. Oliver Mayes

    Have these berks never seen Gordon before?

    Anyone who has ever heard of Gordon Ramsay knows that he swears a lot, it's his whole gimmick! It's like watching a porn film and complaining about the gratuitous nudity FFS.

    If this is regarding the episode I think it is, then I'll admit that there was more swearing than usual. I even counted the expletives off on my fingers as the chef ranted to his manager for a couple of minutes. But if anything, I found it entertaining that he wasn't able to come up with anything coherent to say so just kept repeating himself over and over again while re-arranging the fucks and shits.

    If you don't like swearing, then don't watch something that you already know will contain swearing. It's that simple.

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    FFS

    If it offends you, change the fucking channel.

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    I think I know why!

    Gordon Ramsay has clearly got Tourettes syndrome...

  25. Anonymous Coward
    IT Angle

    WGAF...

    ...if the sad, lazy bastards can't be arsed to change the fucking channel ? FFS...

  26. Andy

    Fucking Gordon fucking Ramsay

    Fucking clown, no fucking one of us would take some fucker on the fucking street seriously if they used that fucking kind of fucking language all the fucking time, why should that fucking lunatic be fucking different?

    I've got no problem with bad language, but the amount he uses it – he sounds like a simpleton who can't express himself, and why would I want to hear what a simpleton has to say? He's getting worse (probably trying to live up to his own reputation), and I'm glad the regulator has recognised it.

  27. greenmantle
    Paris Hilton

    Better title?

    'Gordon manages 115 fucks in 40 minutes'

    Paris, the obvious apprentice...

  28. Stu
    Alert

    South Park

    Funny, I dont remember this many complaints when that South Park ep first aired, the one that had well over 115 instances of the word shit! Wikip tells me its 162 times!

    Anyway, back in my yoof at college, I used to use the word fuck in general conversation, even in front of college administrators and lecturers, it just loses its meaning and impact, so you just grow out of doing it as it becomes boring.

    Plus I just grew up!

    It also reduces the ability to use it with great impact when mad things do actually happen too!

    Strange tho that this Ramsay chap never grew out of its constant use, like everybody else!

    .

    Still, has anybody on here actually met ANYONE who would be upset hearing the word? I havent. Even better - has anybody actually met anyone who would not be upset hearing, say, 20-30 swears but WOULD be upset hearing 115 during one programme!? Nay. So this complaint is a bit fishy.

  29. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Gordon?

    Channel Four now to replace the food-themed comedy swearing hour with new show "Freeman's Kitchen Nightmares", in which the bespectacled silent one visits badly-run restaurants and fixes their problems using nothing but a crowbar and Physics.

    Complaints about mindless violence and disturbingly neat facial hair to follow?

  30. James Pickett

    @Dennis

    "He really annoys me but the wife like him"

    How true! But if I spoke to her like that...

    Ramsay's problem (among many, no doubt) is that he has nothing left to express real anger when he's already been mildly annoyed - just more (and louder) effing and blinding. I don't often feel sorry for Merkins, but they must be pretty surprised to be shouted at by someone even less articulate than them...

  31. Boris the Cockroach Silver badge

    The real reason

    for all the complaints is that his constant swearing broke the bleeping machine

  32. Paul
    Boffin

    What kind of cunt...

    ...watches a show after the watershed with Gordon Ramsay in it and complains about swearing.

    It contains strong language. The cunt fucking swears like a fucker. You know what the show fucking entails. It's like complaining a TV show about strippers contains too many titties - you fucking KNOW what the fuck the show is going to contain, so why be a fuckwit and complain? Just don't watch the bastard and get on with your fucking meaningless existence :)

    Warning: May contain nuts.

  33. Rob
    Coat

    My goodness!!!

    I'm appalled by the language used in this comments section, I'm reporting El Reg to Ofcom after I have read through it a couple more times from start to finish and counted all the 'F' words that have been used.

    You people should be fucking ashamed of yourselves.

    Mines the one with the 'bleep' machine in the pocket.

  34. Wize

    What is the fucking problem?

    The show is on at a time where children should not be watching. If they are they probably hear no worse than in the streets.

    But as adults should we have to sensor the quantity of foul language in the show? Should there be an extra warning that there is 20% more fucking than normal? If he says it once uncensored (which apparently is allowed) then whats wrong with a second time? A third time? A 20th time? Its already been said.

    Do they think adults should be protected from this kind of language? Will we have police down the pub censoring conversations? "Sorry sir, we have to arrest you as you said 'fuck' more than 10 times in two minutes".

    Its bloody stupid.

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Right, the rules need changing...

    51 fucking idiot's fucking complained because they are basically simple minded wankers who can't operate a fucking TV. FIFTY FUCKING ONE?! What's that as a percetage of the estimated viewing total? Even if it is only 1 million (I doubt that C4 would continue to broadcast the shows if it was that low) 51 is only 0.0051% of the viewers! Pointless! Can I complain about OFCOM for being dicks?

  36. Andrew Newstead

    Celebrity Chefs - bah!

    Can't watch, don't watch!

    I don't know what the fuss is about really, you know whats coming, if you don't like it you don't switch on - that's the way I worked it.

    I think these celeb chefs are a waste of electrons anyway...

  37. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    For F#cks Sake!

    51 daft f#ckers obviously had nothing better to do then to rack up their f#cking phonebill by calling OFCOM and f#cking bleating about the f#cking language.

    Honestly ... What a bunch of f#cking c#nts!

  38. Neil Spellings
    Coat

    Double standards

    I find it bizarre that everyone is berating Gordon for not being able to express himself without the excessive use of expletives, whilst filling their posts with an incredulous amount said expletives themselves.

    Why does everyone need to feel the need to stoop to the same level to prove thier point?

    Mine's the one with "chef" on the pocket..

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Copycats

    Why is this comments page full of people swearing, are they just showing off how they can use offensive language as casually as any celebrity cook??

    It's not big and it's not clever.

  40. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    Have I missed something...?

    Doesn't he have a show called "The F-word"?

    Not surprising that he uses it them.

    Since he's a chef, I think they should have called the show "The C-Word"!

  41. Bassey

    Did it occur to anyone...

    that these people (like the majority of right thinking individuals) find Ramsey to be an annoying, talentless, offensive little twirp and just saw the whole complaint thing as an outside chance to be rid of the obsequious little toad once and for all?

    Just a thought.

  42. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Watershed

    Errrr... 9.00 is the watershed. Or is 9.00 not the watershed?

    If I piss on the floor, is it OK if it is near enough the urinal? No.

    Ofcon, you can't just make it up as you go along. Either 9.00 is the watershed, or it isn't.

    Stupid ladies' front bottoms. (I'm posting this before 9.00.)

  43. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Limited and lost

    Reminds me of the sayings along the lines of "as soon as you start swearing, you've lost the argument" (rather true) or that swearing indicates a limited vocabulary (f'ing b0ll0cks in my opinion)

    I do find it odd that OFCOM etc are happy in general with "strong language from the start and throughout” as a warning at the start of a show - I was under the impression you could start watching a programme half way through... Ho hum, it probably satisfies the simpletons.

  44. Efros
    Thumb Down

    Face it

    Ramsay's a twat, he's abullying one at that.

  45. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    What did anyone expect?

    I don't know what the fuss is about. I simply don't watch this guy - I switch off whenever I see him on my TV screen.

    "People had certain expectations of what they would be viewing"

    Damn right! Anyone tuning in KNEW they were going to be watching a foul-mouthed dickhead who's as near to a professional chef as my pet terrier - and not as well behaved.

    So - people - learn where the OFF switch is. Increasingly it seems to be the most used control on my own TV set.

  46. Aldous
    Flame

    erm

    51 mary whitehouse wannabe's complain due to swearing (these are the people that complain about everything and buy the daily mail to see what to be afraid of next) probably on the grounbds of "think of the children" + society going down hill, the result thread posts calling them every name under the sun.

    way to go people just re-enforce their view that swearing on tv=swearing / aggressiveness throughout the population.

  47. danny_0x98

    Creative Bleeping

    I agree about the complainers could have just not watched. Now it's my suspicion that bleeping his language, as is done in US version of Hell's Kitchen, has its merits. Besides taking arrows out of the naysayers' quivers, it also means the viewer is engaged trying to figure out what particular salty term Mr. Ramsay just used.

    Back in the good old days of college radio, December 1974, a story ran on the wire about the CIA having layoffs. I assisted the news director of the college station as he telephoned the CIA to ask the question "where do canned spooks go?" The CIA picked up the call, but didn't want to say any thing and really did not want their "no comment" to be recorded. Yeah, go figure. He aired the part prior to their request to stop the recording, and, respecting the the press officer's wishes, obscured the use of the CIA person's name by editing in wacky sound effects.

    See guys, you can have fun with this stuff.

  48. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Oh for fuck's sake

    Why doesn't the fucking nanny state fuck off and leave us all alone?

    Paris, because she likes to f...

  49. pctechxp
    IT Angle

    Has he not trademarked the f word yet?

    As its what made him famous/infamous (depending on your point of view)

    I persoanlly find the programmes amusing because of the cincompetent business owners who seem to lack common sense most of the time so is it any wonder he gets so hacked off.

    If you don't like, don't watch.

    Not sure of the IT angle, is it because of the complaints were generated by those watching it on 4oD?

  50. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Where are we at?

    Can the moderators or a DB admin for the Reg count the number of fuck, f#ck,fu.., that are in the comments? We're probably not close to Ramsay's record, but just for award purposes I'd like to see where we are so far.

  51. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: Where are we at?

    Hahaha! Fuck off.

  52. 3x2

    Thanks

    I'd like to thank the 51 complainants and ofcom for pointing out what I had missed first time round. Luckily the episode still had a decent number of seeds so I shall watch it tonight.

    Hopefully it won't be a fucked up US version. Thanks again.

  53. Anonymous Coward
    Go

    WTF

    When I fucking well watch a Gordon "fuck me" Ramsey fucking programme, I fucking expect some fucking expletives. I mean .. well .. fuck me!

  54. Highlander

    What a load of f&^ked up f*&ks these f&$kers are!

    who the f*^k cares what kind of language Gordon f86cking Ramsey uses on his show after the watershed? He's world renowned for shouting and swearing, did anyone seriously expect anything different?

    As for those f*&kers who think that using words like f*&k weakens one's vocabulary or shows an inability to express anger, what a bunch of twaddle you f*&kers do come up with. For a f*&king start, words like f*&k only carry the power we, the listener, give them. It's just a f*&king word, it's not like he's hitting you in the face. F*&king hell people get a f*&king grip will you? Sure you can use other words or other forms of expression to express exasperation, but words like f*&k are universally recognized as signs of extreme frustration, annoyance or exasperation.

    Let's try an experiment shall we....

    You know, I'm really exasperated right now. I can't believe how frustrated I am that you can't prepare even a simple garden salad. My, how incredible it is, you are really incompetent if that's the best you can do.

    or

    Oh for f*&ks sake you f*&king moron, can't you f*&king well make a f*&king garden f*&king salad? You f*&king c*&k s*&king moron, f*&k off so I can avoid losing my f*&king mind because of your f*&king stupidity you donkey!

    Which of these conveys more effectively the sheer frustration and annoyance felt by an experienced chef that's just watched a supposedly experienced chef totally bollocks-up a simple salad and finds that the gormless morong doesn't even know what he's done wrong.?

    Pathetic.

  55. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Who are these complainers

    I bet it is ofcom writing to itself.

    You turn the channel over if you suspect you will be offended, that would be a normal rational thing to do. Not watch it getting a hard on about writing a complaint letter the next day.

    Jeepers, it has to be Ofcom itself, there is no other sensible explanation.

  56. Andus McCoatover

    Someone make a YouTube Video?

    Could someone do this but bleeping out every NON-expletive noun, just leaving the fuc*k bits in?

    season *** fucker with S*** and P****

  57. Jay
    Stop

    When did you Brits ....

    turn into Americans? Fucking pathetic.

  58. David

    Mind your language, Timothy

    "But Gordon had no intention of causing offence"

    Yeah, like f*ck he didn't!

    "and is sorry if Channel 4's scheduling of the programme upset some viewers."

    And I'm the Queen of Sheba.

  59. jake Silver badge

    The only question in my mind is ...

    ... why is the talentless one-trick pony still on the air? What kind of mouth-breather actually watches his shows? He can't speak English articulately, his cooking is pedestrian at best, and he's abusive to the point that I'm astonished that nobody's flattened him permanently. How is this classified "entertainment"? The mind boggles.

  60. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Re:Re: Where are we at?

    Let's see if it's accurate if I try it myself. I copied the comments to a text file and ran some vbscript against it, and(Including the ones from my first comment):

    F#cking -- 12

    f#ckers -- 2

    F's -- 1

    feckin -- 1

    fuck -- 13

    *ucking -- 1

    fucking -- 31

    fu.. -- 1

    Fking -- 1

    **** -- 5

    fucker's -- 1

    fucked -- 2

    fucks -- 3

    FFS -- 4

    frickin' -- 1

    'F' -- 2

    f*** -- 1

    fucker -- 1

    effing -- 1

    fucker -- 1

    fuckwit -- 1

    F-word -- 1

    f'ing -- 1

    fuck's -- 1

    f - 1

    f#ck -- 1

    fu.. -- 1

    It might not be that accurate, but we're up to 92 so far. We can do so much better.

  61. Anonymous Coward
    Flame

    What the fuck!

    It is normal for Ramsey to swear. If he doesn't he's not watch worthy.

  62. Matthew
    Flame

    f#cking morons

    you can't tell me they were surprised at Mr Ramseys language? If you don't like swearing then don't watch the show. People really need to get a life

  63. John Tserkezis

    Channel four wishes to advise customers about the following program

    Channel four wishes to advise customers about the following program:

    It contains strong language, consisting of:

    The word "Fuck" 40 times

    The word "Fucker" 30 times

    The word "Fucked" 26 times

    The word "Shit" 4 times

    And numerous assorted other phrases which could be seen as offensive.

    It contains mild violence (if the throwing of some pots and pans count)

    It contains trace elements of people cooking something.

    It contains no sexual themes, no nudity, nothing that could even vaguely be considered erotic, actually nothing even remotely attractive at all.

    So, if you still want to watch this program, we would advise that you instead fuck off and do something more productive with your life.

  64. Eugene Goodrich
    Paris Hilton

    Link?

    I see the link to the ruling, but I'm completely missing the link to the recording.

  65. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I'm with Ofcom...

    Ramsey's show is OK, and I occasionally watch it for the content, not the swearing, but the complaint was EXCESSIVE use, not the use per se. People do want to watch the program, and are generally happy with the normal quantity of swearing. However, the complaint about this particular episode was the excessive quantity of it, and to be honest, I agree. It's like anything taken to excess - it loses its appeal. Yes, of course you can turn over, but what if you want to actually see how Ramsey rescues the eatery? Why should you put up with incessant bad language, when the program could quite easily have been made with just the usual quantity of expletives? Sadly that smacks of C4 catering to the lowest common denominator - those who think its amusing/entertaining to have a program consisting entirely of swearing. I presume that many of the people above would be more than happy to listen to a show that had no other content other than expletives (in which case, surely radio would be a better medium?)

  66. Peter Morris
    Paris Hilton

    It's not working...

    In Eric Partridge's fantastic Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, you can find: "I have heard the monotonous 'the fucking fucker's fucking well fucked', where the audience has understood quite well that "this piece of machinery does not work'.

    You see? Brevity and wit in this marvelous, multi-faceted word. Use it and support our heritage!

    Pedro

    Paris because we're on the topic...

  67. Simon B
    Heart

    Simple solution - if you don't like it, then don't fucking watch it!!!!

    Simple solution - if you don't like it, then don't fucking watch it!!!! Moaning dick heads unite.

  68. rick buck
    Dead Vulture

    F...N...Name of The Show F...Head...

    F...

  69. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Up

    ah genius python

    Perhaps one of the most interesting words in the english language today, is the word fuck. Out of all the english words that begin with the letter 'f' ...fuck is the only word refered to as 'the f word... It's the one magical word. Just by its sound can describe pain, pleasure, hate and love. Fuck, as most words in the english language is derived from german ...the word fuieken, which means to strike.

    In english, fuck falls into many grammatical categories:

    As a transitive verb for intance ...John fucked Shirley.

    As an intransitive verb...Shirley fucks.

    Its meaning is not always sexual, it can be used as...

    An adjective such as ...John's doing all the fucking work.

    As part of an adverb ...Shirley talks too fucking much.

    As an adverb enhancing an adjective ...Shirley is fucking beautiful.

    As a noun ...I don't give a fuck.

    As part of a word ...absofuckinglutely -or- infuckingcredible.

    And as almost every word in a sentence ...Fuck the fucking fuckers.

    As you must realize, there aren't too many words with the versatility of fuck...such as these examples describing situations such as:

    Fraud ...I got fucked at the used car lot.

    Dismay ...ahhh fuck it.

    Trouble ...I guess I'm really fucked now.

    Agression ...Don't fuck with me buddy.

    Difficulty ...I don't understand this fucking question.

    Inquiry ...Who the fuck was that?

    Dissatisfaction ...I don't like what the fuck is going on here.

    Incompetance ...He's a fuck-off.

    Dismissal ...Why don't you go outside and play hide and go fuck yourself...

    I'm sure you can think of many more examples.

    With all these multi-purpose applications, how can anyone be offended when you use the word. We say use this unique, flexible word more often in your daily speech.

    It will identify the quality of your character immediately.

    Say it loudly and proudly...

    ...FUCK YOU!

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