Fined over Comedy Awards, CTV wants police investigation

CHANNEL TELEVISION has called for a police investigation into a phone-vote controversy relating to the 2004 and 2005 British Comedy Awards.

The broadcaster was fined £80,000 yesterday by media regulator Ofcom after viewers were twice encouraged to keep voting when TV polls had closed.

In a further breach, Ant and Dec were declared winners of the 2005 award, although Catherine Tate polled more votes.

However, CTV – which oversaw compliance for the programmes – claims it has been a 'victim to a criminal conspiracy to defraud'.

Following a long investigation, Ofcom said it was no closer to knowing how the incident occurred and said it was frustrated by the lack of cooperation it had received.

CTV chairman Mick Desmond (pictured) said his company had always accepted responsibility for the problem when part of the programme that had been recorded before a news bulletin was shown 'as live' after it.

On the vote-rigging issue, CTV had told ITV as soon as it became aware that Catherine Tate should have won.

Mr Desmond said CTV was profoundly dissatisfied that Ofcom, because of its lack of power to get information or help from third parties, had failed to find out what had happened.

A number of people had refused to help with inquiries.

'Channel takes the view that it is in the public interest, as well as in the interest of Channel Television and its shareholders, that further investigation must take place,' said Mr Desmond.

'That is why we have asked Ofcom to refer the matter to the police.'