Wanted to post this earlier: Jeff Ford, the director of programmes at C5, spoke at the Edinburgh Television Festival yesterday (Thursday).

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv...annel-5-in-2012.html

I found some of his comments frankly jaw-dropping. Here are a few "highlights":

12:09 - Ford describes channel owner Richard Desmond as "a very charismatic character" and "a very passionate man" and claims that there is still "a lot of snobbery" surrounding Channel 5.

12:10 - Desmond does have an overview of Channel 5's programming but has never interfered or objected to a particular project, Ford claims.

12:12 - Ford again blames "ingrained snobbery" on Channel 5 failing to secure many awards nominations, comparing the selection process to the voting system at the Eurovision Song Contest. "Does it bother me? Not really."

12:22 - Big Brother discussion time! "We've put the show back on the public mind. We've made it a Channel 5 show, it's not a Channel 4 show - I think that's very, very clear."

12:25 - Is Ford disappointed with the Big Brother ratings? "If you take the programme as an average, last year it did 1.7m over its run, this year it did 1.6m consolidated." But is 1.6m enough for that show on a terrestrial channel, asks Bacon. Ford blames a "horrendous" summer full of sporting events.

12:26 - Despite's Bacon's pushing, Ford insists he is not disappointed with the Big Brother ratings, but adds: "Would I like more? Sure."

12:27 - Is there a danger of Big Brother overexposure? "We're doing the same weeks as Channel 4 - we've just changed the make-up of the show," Ford explains. "It's on the same amount of time as it was on Channel 4."

12:30 - Of the show's appeal, Ford says: "For the most part, it's about laughing at these people," - but he swiftly corrects himself. "Not laughing at them, laughing with them," he quickly adds, claiming that all housemates know what they're in for when they sign up for the show.

12:33 - Has Big Brother opened the door for more light entertainment on Channel 5? Ford explains that his idea of "light entertainment" is something like Celebrity Wedding Planner - but appears to rule out more variety-based shows.

And here's the killer:
12:31 - If behaviour on Big Brother was felt to be "totally, totally inappropriate," Channel 5 would definitely eject the offending party from the house, Ford insists.

So: it seems we can assume from this that Jeff Ford does not consider threatening to sexually assault a woman with an epilator to be "totally inappropriate".

I dread to think what Conor would have had to actually do to have been kicked out of that house...