Talk To Me : controversy

Digital Spy reported that ITV were let off for 'inappropriate' poster.

The Advertising Standards Authority received a number of complaints about posters promoting ITV drama Talk to Me, which they claimed were "offensive and inappropriate" One poster showed two men and one woman with the line: "My best friend and my life. She's screwed them both." Another showed the same characters with the line: "I would do anything for my best friend, including his wife."

The ITV drama, shown in May, starred Max Beesley as a DJ caught in an illicit love triangle between his best friend and his best friend's wife. Eight people complained about the use of the word "screwed" in the first ad, and all ten complainants said both ads were "offensive and inappropriate in a medium that could be seen by children."

ITV responded, saying the ads were meant to "set up the love triangle and portray the desire felt by the main protagonist." The broadcaster added that the word "screwed" was chosen to emulate the intensity of the other man's anger and to "portray the racy tone of the show. " The ASA noted that the double meaning of the word "do" was unlikely to be understood by young children, but that some adults would find the use of the word "screwed" distasteful.

However, it ruled that because the ads contained no sexual images, it considered they were unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence, and were not inappropriate in a medium that could be seen by children. The complaints were therefore not upheld.