Charity calls for Channel 4 boss to quit over Frankie Boyle row
The Royal London Society for Blind People have called for Channel 4 boss David Abraham to resign after allowing offensive jokes by comedian Frankie Boyle to be broadcast.
The charity says Channel 4 Chief Executive David Abraham must resign after the regulator Ofcom announced formally that Scottish comedian Frankie Boyle’s jokes about the blind and disabled nine year old son of model Katie Price were ‘offensive’ and should not have been broadcast.
In a statement, Royal London Society for Blind People Chief Executive Tom Pey said:
“We congratulate Ofcom on a correct and humane decision. It is incumbent now on Channel Four to apologise. That the chief executive seeks to defend the indefensible shows a complete contempt for the regulator, Parliament – who appointed the regulator – and the people of Britain, not least the 2.6m UK people who are blind or partially sighted.
“David Abraham should now resign. His position is untenable. He, and he alone, sanctioned this vile broadcast. He, and he alone, must now take responsibility and resign. If he is not man enough to resign, then the chairman of Channel Four should sack him.
The charity had earlier demanded an independent inquiry into Channel 4 conduct over the jokes which were, according to the Times today, considered and approved by senior management.
Abraham admitted earlier this year that he had personally given approval for the joke. He has made it clear that Channel 4 would back Boyle and refuse to apologise if, as reported, the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, condemned the programme.