A Russian TV channel has pulled an episode of The Simpsons off air after Russian Orthodox Church leaders deemed it offensive.

In the episode, Homer Simpson walks into a church with Jeffrey 'Comic Book Guy' Albertson playing 'Peekimon Get', a fictional version of Pokémon Go.

When the two are told to stop, Albertson replies: "Look, this game is - or at least was - bigger than Jesus"

Rev Lovejoy then says: "Hmm. It's a pretty low bar these days."

According to the Daily Mail, Russian Orthodox Church leaders contacted cartoon channel 2x2 to complain about the episode.

This comes after a Russian vlogger, 22-year-old Russian Sokolovsky, was jailed for playing Pokémon Go in Church of All Saints in Yekaterinburg last August.

In the video Sokolovsky posted online, he likened Jesus Christ to Pokémon characters.

The blogger is accused of inciting religious hatred.

Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia Director John Dalhuisen said: "Even if Sokolovsky's behaviour may have been regarded as disrespectful by some, states should not be jailing people simply for offending religious sensibilities."

A judge is expected to reach a verdict on 11 May.