Channel 4′s The Last Leg has been the subject of Ofcom complaints over a joke broadcast about teen climate change activist Greta Thunberg.
Comedian Rosie Jones made the “inappropriate” quip about the 16-year-old during the show’s New Year’s Eve special.
She said: “I mean Greta’s amazing and what she’s doing is brilliant. But don’t do it now.
“She needs to live a little, she’s only 16. She should be doing two things – drinking Lambrini and getting fingered.”TV watchdog Ofcom has now confirmed it has received 22 complaints about the joke.
As is standard procedure, the regulator will have to assess all the complaints before deciding whether or not to launch an investigation into if the show broke their broadcasting code.
The comment shocked many viewers on social media when it aired, who said it was “inappropriate” and “tasteless”. Just seen @TheLastLeg from last night and saw Rosie Jones making fun of @GretaThunberg. I heard it wasn’t live so this could’ve been cut? What example are we setting to young people making a change if we allow jokes like that to be aired?!— Mandy Rose Jones (@MandyRoseJones) January 1, 2020I don't like Greta, but what Rosie Jones said was bang out of order, sex jokes about 16 year olds ARE NOT okay.— CelestialFlea (@CelestialFlea) January 1, 2020@TheLastLeg I'm disgusted by the comment that @josierones just made on your show. It shouldn't have been applauded. #Disgusted#TheLastLeg— Dylan 🏳️🌈🌹 (@DylanC012) December 31, 2019@TheLastLeg Rosie Jones was totally inappropriate. I normally like your show, but what she said about a 16yr old is below any standards.— Baloo (@Baloo_bear) December 31, 2019Simply appalling, tasteless humour from a modern day “comic” if this is meant to be funny you can shove this caustic style of
comedy up where the sun don’t shine! Jones is an apology for a comedian. https://t.co/z4Mk2MV9yI— Alan K MacLeod (@Alankmacleod) January 1, 2020So Rosie Jones just said on live tv that Greta Thunderbird should be drinking and being touched inappropriately... 😭😭😭She’s 16 and Rosie is out of line. #greta#thunderbird#rosie#lastleg#sad#disgusting#innapropriate#comedian#jarrodafreeman— Jarrod A. Freeman - Youtube / Author (@Triptekt) January 3, 2020Massive fucking yikes on the Last Leg of the Year for some "comedian" suggesting Greta Thunberg should be getting fingered and drinking Lambrini.@Channel4, are you serious?— Skylar 🇪🇺 (@deathbyjulmust) December 31, 2019#lastleg Firstly Rosie Jones, Greta is a CHILD!!! Secondly, a fellow woman. How will woman ever be respected, when women break each other down like this??? She's standing up for something, so must need to be "fingered"??? Shame on you!— Mariska (@Riska_L) January 2, 2020Comedian Sarah Pascoe, who was also a guest on the show, laughed at Rosie’s joke, but later added: “I feel like we should apologise. She’s trying to save all our lives.”
It is not the first time a celebrity has caused controversy with their remarks about Thunberg.
Both Jeremy Clarkson and Piers Morgan have publicly criticised the young environmentalist, whose activism sparked a global strike movement that has seen millions of youngsters from across the world protest by refusing to go to school.
Clarkson branded her a “spoilt brat” in his column in The Sun, while Morgan has mocked her on Good Morning
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