Mastermind contestant loses complaint over 'astoundingly thick' jibe

Watchdog rules narrator David Walliams's criticism in clip show was fair comment given contender's record low score


John Plunkett
guardian.co.uk, Monday 22 August 2011 14.42 BST

It is bad enough to go on Mastermind and score a single point in your specialist subject. Even worse when you are described as "astoundingly thick" by a Channel 4 clip show that omits to mention that you once won £250,000 on ITV1's Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?.

So enraged was unhappy occupant of the black chair, Simon Curtis, that he complained to media regulator Ofcom about his treatment on Channel 4's Awfully Good TV, presented by comic David Walliams.

Curtis was nicknamed "Disastermind" in his home town of Castleford, West Yorkshire, after his 2006 appearance on the BBC1 quiz. He scored just one point on his chosen subject, Hollywood actor Jim Carrey, and later admitted he had "just plucked the topic out of the air".

Awfully Good TV, broadcast on Channel 4 in January this year, purported to look at programming which was "so truly, staggeringly compellingly bad it becomes awfully good". Narrator Walliams observed: "Sometimes in life, you have to know your limitations." He added: "If you're not, let's say, very bright, it's probably not a good idea to go on a quizshow that tests your mental agility. And by not very bright, I mean astoundingly thick."

Curtis, in his complaint to Ofcom, argued that not being good at quizzes was not an indicator of low intelligence. He said Channel 4 had unfairly failed to mention that his ill-fated Mastermind appearance was in the show's semi-final, having won his first round, or that 18 months earlier he had won £250,000 on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?. He also said the broadcaster had not asked his permission to use the clip.

But Ofcom rejected Curtis's complaint, agreeing with Channel 4 that the "astoundingly thick" description was in fact "fair comment" given his record low score on a topic he had chosen himself, in a programme he knew would be watched by millions.

Channel 4 said Walliams's description of Curtis should not be taken personally or literally but was instead reference to the worst performance ever seen on Mastermind in relation to a chosen specialist subject.

Ofcom, in its ruling published on Monday, said it "recognised that these comments carried the potential to be offensive and insulting to Mr Curtis".

"However, Ofcom took the view that it would have been clear to viewers from the beginning of the programme that Mr Walliams (himself best known as a comedian) intended to provide humorous and light-hearted opinion and comment on examples of past television clips," the regulator added in its official bulletin.

The watchdog said the programme was "not intended in any material way to be a serious examination of Mr Curtis's character, intelligence or competence" and "did not result in unfairness towards Mr Curtis".

Ofcom said it was not incumbent on Channel 4 to include any of Mr Curtis's other TV appearances, including his Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? win, and the broadcaster did not have to ask for his permission to use the Mastermind clip.

Mastermind contestant loses complaint over 'astoundingly thick' jibe | Media | guardian.co.uk