I do hate the idea of rewriting history due to such events and effectively banning the broadcast of shows the culprit doesn't really have a claim over. It's a tricky one and they'll never be a right answer - it's one thing never rebroadcasting Animal Hospital but another not broadcasting an episode because it featured a song in a brief moment or a couple of jokes.
I agree with that. Jokes regarding such offenders can be harmless and ;ittle or no offence will be taken. However, if it is in very poor taste, then I believe that the whole thing should be censored. I have found a few Jimmy Savile JOKES funny in the past; it doesn't make me one of them.
I can only gather that it'd cause offence because (ignoring the fact it was made before this story developed) it's from a time when we still liked respected Rolf Harris, and that probably won't sit comfortably with some people in the same way somebody might say how great a DJ Jimmy Savile was.
I do hate the idea of rewriting history due to such events and effectively banning the broadcast of shows the culprit doesn't really have a claim over. It's a tricky one and they'll never be a right answer - it's one thing never rebroadcasting Animal Hospital but another not broadcasting an episode because it featured a song in a brief moment or a couple of jokes.
I think it was mainly seen as insensitive since it was so soon after his ruling. Benidorm is a comedy, and it's a lot less entertaining and comfortable to watch when it has so many obvious references to someone who is currently at the top of the headlines.
Isn't this the kind of thing that compliance forms are meant to flag up
before
transmission?
This brings to mind this 'breakdown' on Channel 4 - a comedy show had a sketch about the very recently deceased Michael Jackson, so they covered it up with a breakdown slide. The difference here was that the news of his death had only broken at about the same time the programme went on air, so there wasn't a chance to replace it; ITV would surely have had the chance to pull this episode?
I do hate the idea of rewriting history due to such events and effectively banning the broadcast of shows the culprit doesn't really have a claim over. It's a tricky one and they'll never be a right answer - it's one thing never rebroadcasting Animal Hospital but another not broadcasting an episode because it featured a song in a brief moment or a couple of jokes.
I think it was mainly seen as insensitive since it was so soon after his ruling. Benidorm is a comedy, and it's a lot less entertaining and comfortable to watch when it has so many obvious references to someone who is currently at the top of the headlines.
Quite true and it was unfortunate. So difficult though to go through everything before it goes to air (as a repeat especially) just to check - a Benidorm repeat on paper is fairly harmless filler.
I think it's an issue of poor timing, I don't think it should never be shown again, or withdrawn from sale/on demand. I don't watch Benidorm but I assume there are continuing storylines that would be affected by the omission of one episode.
There are so many references to Rolf, Savile et all in our popular culture and art forms that it is impossible to remove / censor / redact them all without butchering the programme. See, for example, episode 6 of series 1 of Early Doors (broadcast 2003 and oft repeated on Gold / Dave) after the big boys' beano when they're all doing impressions:
DUFFY (in Jimmy Savile voice)
I have a letter here, from Ken Dixon of the Grapes.... It says... Dear Jimmy, can you fix it for us to get pissed as farts as York races.... Cop a right eyeful at the Bamboo Club.... And have old Tommy get a round of drinks in? Oh I'm sorry Ken, but there are some things even Sir Jimmy cannot fix! Sha-woddy-woddy!
Quite clearly a funny scene given the context of the episode and the series with Tommy being a miserly skinflint. But does it merit being cut out? No. That line in OFAH during the seance scene? Again, probably not.
It's perhaps worth looking to Mock the Week's (endless) repeats on Dave, whose early series still contain many Savile references. I imagine programmes that solely/directly feature him such as the HIGNFY episode he hosted will be unlikely to be repeated. However I don't think it would be possible or practical to remove references to him from many programmes, and cutting the episode isn't realistic if it's part of a drama series.
On a loosely related note I've still got a video recording of his appearance on the 1993 Children's Royal Variety Performance.