'Psychic Sally: On The Road' rapped by Ofcom

Sky Living's Psychic Sally: On the Road has been rapped by Ofcom for dispensing potentially "life-changing advice" during a psychic reading.

The factual entertainment show follows self-proclaimed psychic Sally Morgan's tour of the UK, giving live performances and private psychic readings.

Ofcom expressed concern about an episode aired on April 17 that featured Morgan giving a private reading to a young woman named Mandy, who was said to be "desperate for answers from her dead mother".

Discussing Mandy's mother's health problems, Morgan told the woman: "There is nothing within you, genetically, that you need to panic about health-wise." To this, Mandy replied: "I can go on now without any worries that anything's going to be passed on."

Ofcom's broadcasting guidelines make clear that programming featuring "exorcism, the occult or paranormal practices" must protect participants and viewers from "potentially harmful material".

Sky, which acquired the Living bouquet of channels from Virgin Media last summer, said that it applies a "consistent and strict editorial policy" to Psychic Sally: On the Road.

The broadcaster claimed that Morgan only mentions medical conditions in her readings if "the participant confirms that they are aware of any condition and are seeking independent medical advice". Despite viewing the programme as a "borderline case", Sky said that it has edited out the section from future transmissions.

In its ruling, Ofcom found a clear breach of Rule 2.8 stipulating that "programmes containing demonstrations of psychic practices must not contain life-changing advice directed at individuals".

"Ofcom noted that during the private reading, having discussed Mandy's mother's illness and subsequent death, Sally made a direct and categorical statement about Mandy's genetic health," said the regulator.

"Ofcom acknowledged that Mandy did not indicate that she was going to cease medical care or change her behaviour. However, Ofcom considered that Mandy had interpreted Sally's comment as a statement of fact, given that, responding to it in her interview, she said, 'I can go on now without any worries that anything's going to be passed on'.

"In Ofcom's view, the direct and certain nature of the advice and its delivery could have resulted in her reasonably acting or relying on Sally's assertion. Ofcom therefore considered this to constitute 'life-changing advice' directed at an individual."

The regulator noted Sky's assurances regarding a compliance review of Psychic Sally: On the Road, and said that it does not "expect any recurrence of this issue".

Also today, Ofcom criticised the eighth series of Hell's Kitchen USA on ITV2 for the "very strong swearing" of Gordon Ramsay and the show's contestants.