Comedian Katherine Ryan has expressed “remorse” after making numerous advertising references to Gousto recipe boxes on a Channel 4 programme, an Ofcom report has said.
Sunday Brunch staff were given “further training” after Ryan promoted the meal kit on the Channel 4 cooking and chat show, co-hosted by Simon Rimmer and Tim Lovejoy.
The media regulator said that under TV rules on commercial references, mentioning a brand can be “editorially justified” but this went above that use.
It said it resolved its investigation following the broadcaster saying enhanced training had been given to staff.
Channel 4 said “the presenters were transparent about Ms Ryan’s commercial connection with Gousto”, according to the Ofcom report, and her campaign with the company.
However, the broadcaster added the “repeated references to Gousto were unsolicited, unscripted, spontaneous, outside the scope of the agreed contribution and clearly not part of the editorial intent”.
Channel 4 told Ofcom: “Ms Ryan was spoken to by a member of the editorial team.
“She expressed remorse at having strayed from the agreed script and gave her assurances that there would be no more mentions of Gousto in the programme.”
Ofcom said Ryan’s references to the brand, such as saying “it makes it so much easier being a working mum”, were clearly “promotional”.
The media watchdog also said Ryan had “extensive experience as a former guest and presenter on the programme”, and after she was spoken to during the break the “additional references to Gousto were minimal”.
Channel 4 also said that “ideally Ms Ryan would have been interrupted earlier.
“However, in a live setting, the timing of any intervention can be in the moment a difficult judgement-call for both gallery and presenter (and) any explanation, apology or further reference to the brand could have exacerbated the situation.”
The broadcaster said it “takes ‘compliance with the code extremely seriously’ and that after the live show ‘refresher training’ had been given by Channel 4’s ‘legal & compliance department’ to the Sunday Brunch production team and to the Channel 4 editorial staff”.
Ofcom said: “We recognised the swift actions of the programme producers and presenter during the live segment, followed by the discussion with the guest during the subsequent advertisement break.
“We also took into account the additional references to Gousto were minimal, in the context of the overall programme, unscripted and wholly unexpected by the production team and presenters at the time of broadcast.
“Ofcom acknowledges that despite extensive preparation to ensure compliance with the Code.”
The broadcaster added that “given the circumstances of this case, in particular, the steps taken during and after the incident, our decision is that this matter is resolved”.
Canadian Ryan, 41, is known for her comedy panel appearances as well as starring in the semi-autobiographical comedy series The Duchess on Netflix and Sky Comedy show Romantic Getaway with comedian Romesh Ranganathan
Ryan and Channel 4 have been contacted for comment.
