Children's BBC host Kirsten O'Brien has been criticised after joking that "everyone at CBBC is either gay or childless and don't like kids".

The long-time CBBC presenter made the comment during her stand-up comedy show Confessions Of A Children's TV Presenter at the Edinburgh festival.

She added: "Still, at least we're better than Palestinian children's TV, which gets kids to sing songs about AK-47 rifles."

Among the shows she has worked on are SMart, SMarteenies and Totally Doctor Who.

The corporation was forced to defend the statement. A spokesman said: "Kirsten's joke is a throwaway line and is clearly meant to be ironic.

"The audience is totally different at the festival because it is for adults. We wouldn't check her script if she was doing something separate from the BBC.

"She is due back on air in the autumn and this wouldn't affect that."