UK TV show: hypnotised man chained to track

[John Ashworth]

Derren Brown show investigated over railway stunt

Ofcom receives complaints that scene featuring hypnotised man chained to train tracks was dangerous

* Mark Sweney
* guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 15 September 2010 13.16 BST

Ofcom is investigating Derren Brown's latest Channel 4 TV show after receiving complaints about a scene featuring a man in a straitjacket chained to train tracks.

Last Wednesday's show, Hero at 30,000 Feet, involved psychological illusionist Brown hypnotising a "regular Joe" over 30 days to the point that in a staged incident he volunteered to take over landing a plane when the pilot appeared to die.

During the show the man was put in a variety of situations in which he was hypnotised in the buildup to the final aircraft test. One scene showed the man donning a straitjacket and being chained to railway tracks.

Ofcom received 11 complaints from viewers that the scene was dangerous as there was a lack of any obvious protection systems or a clear rationale for why the stunt was being performed.

The media regulator has launched an investigation to see if the show is in breach of broadcasting code rules 2.1 and 2.4. Regulation 2.1 relates to generally accepted standards in broadcasting. Rule 2.4 relates to whether the content "condones or glamorises violent, dangerous or seriously antisocial behaviour".