Joan Rivers thrown off Loose Women for Russell Crowe outburst

Joan Rivers thrown off Loose Women for Russell Crowe outburst

• Leigh Holmwood
  
• guardian.co.uk,
  
• Tuesday June 17 2008
  
• Article history
  

Joan Rivers has said she was shocked to be kicked off today's edition of ITV1 talkshow Loose Women after she swore live on air - an outburst that prompted almost 50 complaints from shocked daytime viewers.

Rivers, 75, stunned the all-female Loose Women presenting team of Jackie Brambles, Coleen Nolan, Jane McDonald and Carol McGiffin when she described Hollywood actor Russell Crowe as a "fucking shit". The comment prompted 48 complaints, according to an ITV source.

The veteran comedian told MediaGuardian.co.uk it was the first time she had ever been ejected from a TV show and that she only swore because she thought the programme had a time delay on it.

Joan Rivers: 'I thought it would be all right,' she said after the incident. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty "I thought there was a seven-second delay," Rivers told MediaGuardian.co.uk. "They earlier showed a picture of a man with an obvious erection under his coat so I thought it would be all right."

Rivers - who was on the show to promote her West End acting debut in the play Joan Rivers: A Work in Progress by a Life in Progress - was due to return to the show after a commercial break but was instead ejected from the Loose Women studio.

"I have won an Emmy, been nominated for a Tony award, done every show and become an icon and when people ask me what is left in my career I have always said I don't know, but I have never been forcibly thrown out of a TV studio. It is another milestone," she added.

However, Rivers said she would still appear on the show again. "In a second. But they didn't give me my goody bag, which I am very upset about," she added.

When told how many complaints the comment had received, Rivers said: "This is ITV - I want a recount."

An ITV spokeswoman apologised for Rivers' "inappropriate language".

"Presenter Jackie Brambles immediately apologised to viewers and reiterated this apology later in the show," she said.

"An editorial decision was taken that Joan Rivers should not appear in the final part of the programme. Loose Women guests are always briefed that it is a live daytime show and as such are reminded not to swear or use inappropriate language."