The move comes as Australia’s parliament holds an inquiry into swearing on television, prompted by Ramsay’s antics in his series Kitchen Nightmares and Hell’s Kitchen from the UK and the United States, now broadcast three nights a week in Australia.
One episode broadcast recently featured Ramsay using a four-letter expletive more than 80 times, while he also shouts at a chef saying: “You French pig.”
“There can be no excuse for vilification of this sort. We conclude that this episode should never have been aired on Australian television,” the Catholic church in the southern city of Adelaide said in a submission to the parliamentary inquiry.
Ramsay’s reality programs are popular ratings draw cards in Australia, but they have also prompted complaints from schools and parent groups who are angry that the shows are broadcast at times when children may be watching television.
The inquiry has received more than 50 public submissions, with the overwhelming majority in favour of tighter regulation and calling for the Nine television network, which broadcasts the programs, to censor Ramsay.
But the Council for Civil Liberties in Australia’s largest state of New South Wales said it has no problems with Ramsay’s programs, which regularly attract more than 1 million viewers.
Check out Chef Ramsay’s rants for yourself.
Be warned this video montage contains a lot of four-letter expletives.
Too much f-ing for you or should freedom of speech prevail?