Garey Lineker escapes Ofcom censure over Arsene Wenger impersonation complaint
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Your support makes all the difference.Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has dismissed suggestions that TV host Gary Lineker behaved in a racially offensive way when he impersonated Arsene Wenger on Match Of The Day.
Lineker, 51, sparked anger when he mocked the Arsenal manager by waving his arms about and signing off a link with the words: "If you don't like it Mr Wenger... au revoir."
Wenger had waved his arms in frustration over a free kick decision in a match with Stoke. Ofcom received 19 complaints about the BBC1 show, broadcast in April, but decided it did not warrant investigation.
A spokesman said: "We assessed the complaints and concluded that the episode did not raise substantive issues under the Broadcasting Code."
But the watchdog did criticise ITV1 for broadcasting a gory suicide scene in the film adaptation of Death On The Nile on a Saturday afternoon when children were watching. Viewers saw a female character put a gun to her head and shoot, then blood oozed from her wound. The watchdog said the scene was not "appropriately limited" but it considered the matter resolved as ITV1 had made additional edits so the film was now suitable for daytime broadcast.
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