Part of the success of Come Dine With Me is down to the variety of people taking part and the interaction this provokes – some contestants on the series can be outspoken and provocative, especially once the wine starts to flow! However, the show is carefully reviewed before broadcast to ensure that anything said by a contestant is acceptable and justifiable. These judgements are based on a number of factors, including the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, previous experience, the expectations of the audience for that programme and the context of the programme itself.

When I spoke to the commissioning editor of the series, she observed that the most successful contestants are those who prepare the food they think their guests will most enjoy, and she felt that, on this occasion, this particular contestant was aiming to do just that when she made a comment about the strength of the curry she was planning to serve to her guests. This comment caused a small flurry of complaints, but it was directly related to her food preparation for that evening, and her perception of her guests’ tastes and preferences – during the previous meal, her fellow diners had indicated that they did not enjoy chillies in their food to the same extent that she did. Given this context and the fact the comment was delivered in a light-hearted manner, the team previewing the episode did not think that it was either intended to be racially abusive or discriminatory or would be interpreted as such by the audience. And although the number of complaints was surprising for this programme, it was still very small when measured against the benchmark of something like Celebrity Big Brother.

But it just goes to show that racism is still an extremely sensitive issue for our audiences, which I think is very well understood by everyone at Channel 4. The channel’s head of daytime was at pains to reassure me that she will be keeping a very close eye out for any issues of this sort across all the programmes she is responsible for.

Update: Ofcom’s Broadcast Bulletin – Issue 135 (published 8 June 2009) notes that Ofcom have decided not to uphold the 35 complaints they received in relation to this episode of Come Dine with Me. The result is listed on p.39 of the document.

Though the programme is broadcast after 9pm, when stronger language can be used, a number of viewers have contacted Channel 4 in recent weeks to say they’ve been disappointed with the amount of swearing featured.

Many of those who commented on The TV Show blog said they had wanted to encourage younger viewers to join in Jamie’s healthy eating campaign, but were unable to do so as a result of his swearing.

I passed on this feedback to the programme’s commissioning editor Dominique Walker last week and the new pre-watershed version has come as a direct result of that conversation – so thanks, as ever, for sharing your views, it really does make a difference!

If you would like to enjoy Jamie’s Ministry of Food without the strong language, please keep an eye on the Channel 4 website – the new version will be with you very shortly.

This week we have had several emails from lap dancers who objected to the way their profession was portrayed in Dispatches: The Hidden World of Lap Dancing. Using hidden cameras, the film looked at the growth of lap dancing clubs and examined how close the services offered in some clubs come to prostitution.  One viewer told us they ran lapdancing clubs in pubs and were shocked by what this programme revealed.  “If my girls or customers behaved like this they would be shown the door”, they said.

The biggest complaint of the last couple of weeks has been about Jamie’s fruity language in Jamie’s Ministry of Food. While reaction to the programme has been overwhelmingly positive, as comments on our recent blog show, there has been some frustration expressed by both parents and teachers that the language has made the programme unsuitable for younger audiences, who they feel would benefit from the messages that Jamie is trying to get across.

I spoke to Dominique Walker, the commissioning editor for the programme, who explained that, in commissioning the programmes, both she and Jamie had hoped to build on the work of the Jamie’s School Dinners campaign and really influence how people eat at home. Her view was that, for both this series and School Dinners, it was really important that the production team captured the unfolding documentary story accurately. As one closely involved in the production, she has observed that Jamie’s journeys are often frustrating, exciting and passionate and, at times this does lead to him swearing.

She acknowledged that this language can be offensive to some viewers but was also mindful of the fact that this programme is scheduled to play after the watershed when viewers may expect there to be some strong language. A warning about there being strong language was given before the programme started. We discussed what opportunities there might be for younger viewers to see the programme, and, as a result of your feedback, she is considering making the programme available in a child friendly version, with the swear words bleeped out, on 4oD.

Whoever you are and wherever you watch our programmes, we are interested in you and your views, so please feel free to add your perspective below.

Motivated by a desire to address rising obesity in Britain, Jamie has spent the last year visiting the town of Rotherham to teach a class of people how to cook. He also set up a Ministry of Food Centre in the town to give non-cooks a place to learn how some basic kitchen skills.

A fundamental part of Jamie’s campaign is the Pass It On website. So far, over 10,000 people have registered on the site, each promising to cook a recipe and pass it on to two other people. Jamie’s looking for thousands more to do the same and really make a difference to people’s eating habits.

As of today, the site will feature video recipes from Jamie’s Ministry of Food show, kitchen tips, news stories about the campaign, up-to-date information on how the Pass It On chain is doing and much more, including a mobile website that will enable aspiring cooks to access recipes and shopping lists on the go.

The TV Show would love to know what you think of Jamie’s latest campaign – have you signed up to Pass It On? Do you agree that something radical needs to be done to address Britain’s obesity problem? Do you think a series like this can make a difference and inspire people to get cooking? Check out Jamie’s Ministry of Food tonight at 9pm and let us know what you think!

A testament to the power of television, and many viewers made the point in their letters and emails that this was exactly the sort of programmes that they wanted and expected from Channel 4. The Channel is currently going through a process of thinking about its future, so any thoughts you have on what sort of programmes you want to see more of, or less of, are welcome on this site or the futureblog.

The main focus for criticism this week has been Gordon Ramsay’s Cookalong Live (broadcast on Friday 18 January and receiving over 100 complaints), and the Dispatches: The Court of Ken (transmitted on Monday 21 January and receiving 48 complaints and 9 appreciative comments).

I spoke to Sue Murphy, the commissioning editor for Gordon Ramsay’s Cookalong, who explained that this was the first time something like this had been done live and that Cookalong marked the first time that Gordon had done live television. Responding to a small number of criticisms about the language used in the show, Sue pointed out that the programme was broadcast after the 9pm watershed, was designed for adults, and was introduced as such with a clear warning about strong language and nudity before the show started.

The exchange between Gordon and actor and musician Max Beesley offended some viewers, but this occurred after 9.30pm, by which time the nature of the show would have been clear to those watching. Sue was confident that Gordon’s adult language and his rude sense of humour were very well-known by viewers, and that most of the audience would be prepared for these sort of moments. She agreed that Max’s comment may have been vulgar, but felt it was clearly intended as a joke and was part of a light-hearted exchange.

The majority of the criticisms related to the fast cutting between different camera shots. Sue, who had also received a number of letters of congratulation from viewers, told me:

“I’m sorry that a small number of people didn’t like the pace and style of the show. And personally I am thrilled by the number of people who have told me that they loved the show and cooked along successfully (obviously they could follow it!). We’ve all learnt an enormous amount the first time round and we’ll bear the criticisms in mind if we decide to do this again.”

Let me know your opinion.