Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson has fallen foul of TV regulators for describing a car as "gay" on the hit BBC2 show.

Clarkson used the term while in a discussion with an audience member about a car in an episode of Top Gear first broadcast in July last year.

He asked a member of the show's audience if he would buy a two-seater Daihatsu Copen. The man said, "No, it's a bit gay", to which Clarkson added "A bit gay, yes, very ginger beer" - rhyming slang for "queer".

Ofcom received five complaints that the expressions used by Clarkson were offensive to homosexual people; some viewers separately complained to the BBC's editorial complaints unit about the incident.

Both Ofcom and the BBC ECU agreed that Clarkson's use of the word "gay" was offensive.

The BBC ECU said in its ruling that the corporation admitted that there was "no doubt it was being used in the sense of 'homosexual', and was capable of giving offence ... in this instance, there was no editorial purpose which would have served to justify the potential offence and the complaints were therefore upheld".

In its ruling on Clarkson's comments, published today, Ofcom warned broadcasters to be careful how they use the word "gay" in programmes.

Ofcom added that while the word "gay" can also mean foolish, stupid and lame according to Oxford English Dictionary, in the case of Clarkson's use of the word it was "capable of giving offence".

In its latest broadcast bulletin, Ofcom said that it considers the action taken by the BBC to be adequate to consider the issue resolved.

The BBC said it had reminded production teams and the presenters of the importance of avoiding derogatory references to sexual orientation.

However, Ofcom has also used the case to remind broadcasters about taking care of how such words are used in shows, particularly in regard to programmes young viewers may be watching.

"Whilst there is a meaning of the word gay which may not be offensive in context, broadcasters should take care about when and how frequently it is used," said the regulator in its ruling.

"This is particularly true for programming that may have a significant number of children watching or listening. It is possible for adults to be able to distinguish different uses of the word, but it is not clear that children - especially in the playground - are capable of doing so."

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