Talksport has breached Ofcom's broadcasting code twice in the period covered by the regulator's latest bulletin.

The station was criticised for allowing a "highly offensive" remark that linked gay people with paedophiles on its air. At 01:10 on May 12, presenter Mike Mendoza said:

"The other thing that has really got up my nose over the last couple of days…and again you might like to comment on this…are the footballers…and I'm including David Beckham on this one ‘cause he's jumped on the bandwagon today, and that's exactly what they've done. Footballers yesterday jumping on the bandwagon to beg whoever it is that has taken Madeleine McCann away, whoever has grabbed her, to give her back…now you tell me, paedophiles in general are the type of people that surely would not follow football…not many gay people to the best of my knowledge are great football fans."

One listener complained that the remark was inappropriate. For its part, Talksport characterised the remark as "indefensible" and noted that Mendoza had been suspended for a week.

Ofcom's reply was: "Rule 2.3 of the Code requires broadcasters to ensure that material which may cause offence is justified by the context. The broadcaster did not attempt to justify these offensive remarks by the context - it admitted they were not defensible and apologised.

"We note the broadcaster’s immediate and appropriate action in suspending Mr Mendoza. We nevertheless are very concerned that the presenter chose to make such a remark. To connect homosexuality to paedophilia is highly offensive. We therefore regard the broadcast as a breach of Rule 2.3."

A second remark, this time calling homosexuality a "perversion", resulted in the station breaching the code for a second time. At 19:45 on June 3, a presenter found the attack on gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell by anti-gay mobs in Moscow amusing and went on to say: "I would not go to another country and try and impose my views on them, it’s up to them what they do. I think there are a lot of things to put right in this country before you go around preaching the gospel of perversion."

Talksport once again admitted that the comments were "unacceptable," but an attempted "off the cuff" defence was disregarded by Ofcom, which ruled that the remarks were "derogatory and offensive".

In conclusion, the regulator said: "Ofcom notes that this is the second breach of Rule 2.3 recorded against Talksport in this Bulletin. We therefore remind the broadcaster that, given these programmes are broadcast live, it is particularly important that its presenters are fully briefed in advance about the potential for certain topics and types of remarks to cause offence to the audience."