Richard And Judy Product-Plugging Scandal

Mondeo man Richard Madeley and his quivering wife Judy Finnigan have been slated by TV regulatory board Ofcom for plugging products on air.

While it has been established that the teatime TV pair accepted no money for such activity - outlawed under motions passed by the European Union, legal fans - the extent of product placement upon their sweaty little sofa has been raising eyebrows to say the least.

Viewers had complained in their droves that a videotape item in July last year that “seemed like an advertisement for Red Bull with celebrity endorsements” and “a sponsored advert for the coffee and Red Bull industry”. According to Ofcom. "Undue prominence" was given to the product in question.

But this isn’t the first time the housewives’ favourites have been caught up to no good…

Back in the heady days of This Morning (hecklerspray always preferred Good Morning With Anne And Nick) the naughty couple managed to get parent station Granada fined a whopping £500,000 for giving on-air plugs to Safeway supermarkets and She magazine.

It’s not as if they haven’t been warned. Remington Jewellery… Heinz foods… Calvin Klein products… just three of the many companies recognised as being shamelessly promoted (our words, not theirs) on Richard And Judy’s televisual love-in.

The best incident, however - apart from that time Richard was interviewing Bill Clinton and managed to spend a good five minutes talking about his own shoplifting trial - is when their regular Book Club feature took the novel step of promoting their own autobiography.

hecklerspray is still reeling from the fact that Richard And Judy actually have an autobiography. What exactly would Mr. Madeley’s life story consist of? "Hello. My name is Richard. I was born and I was smug. The end." While Judy’s contribution would simply be "Yes, Richard."

Oh, and before we go, don’t forget to order your copy of the hecklerspray Christmas Annual. Only £34.99 via mail-order for a special hardback edition signed by the whole team.

Ahem.

[story by C J Davies]