BBC in hot water over Live Earth swearing

The BBC has been ordered to make an on-air statement admitting that its coverage of charity gig Live Earth broke broadcasting regulations.

The broadcaster's "serious and repeated" breaches included airing Madonna and Phil Collins swearing on stage, regulator Ofcom said today.

Live Earth went out on BBC One and Two on July 7. Ofcom received complaints from 22 viewers and found the word "f**k" and variations of it had been used several times before the 9pm watershed.

Among Madonna's rallying calls was: "Come on, motherf***ers! Jump!"

The ruling from the regulator's content sanctions committee is the first time the broadcaster has been told to admit a breach on air. BBC Two will give viewers the news at 4pm on Saturday, with BBC One's admission at 7pm.

The corporation had co-operated and admitted its mistakes, Ofcom said. The BBC said Live Earth organisers and artists had given "repeated assurances" there would not be a problem.

No time delay had been put on the broadcast, though it may have allowed the swearing to be cut out, because "an event billed as 'live' should be broadcast as such", the BBC added.

The Live Earth concert was organised to draw attention to climate change.