Ben Shephard forced to apologise as Al Murray swears live on Good Morning Britain

BEN Shephard was forced to apologise to viewers today after Al Murray swore live on Good Morning Britain.

The cheeky comic stuck his fingers up in protest at the BBC over reports the broadcaster is threatening to axe comedy shows for being "too left wing".

Pub Landord star Al was not impressed with the BBC director general Tim Davie's decision to gag comics, and made his feelings known.

He told hosts Ben and Susanna Reid: "The Pub Landlord (sketch) tends to be too left wing for right wing people, and too right for left wing people.

"The thing is if people really want more right wing comedy they're gong to have to vote for a left wing government, whether you agree with it or not the job of a comedian is to cause mischief and say the unsayable, and also to flick Vs at the government.

"I mean honestly, we're supposed to be gargoyles, causing mischief and trouble."

To prove his point Al waved his two fingers at the camera and blew a raspberry at viewers.

But Ben told him to keep it clean saying, "Be careful of the Vs this early in the morning Al" and Susanna joked: "It was the victory sign!"

BBC chief Tim Davie is reportedly planning to overhaul the broadcaster’s comedy shows in a huge shake-up.

The new director-general thinks the corporation’s shows are seen as too one-sided and need a radical overhaul, sources told the Daily Telegraph.

Davie is reportedly set to axe a series of shows, and in his first speech on Thursday will try to restore “trust and confidence” in the BBC.

Sources claim that no decisions had been made on which shows face the chop, and that Davie would only set a “direction of travel” in his talk.

BBC programme creators will be expected to find a better balance of targets on the shows, rather than just aiming jokes at the Conservatives.

Those running comedy panel shows will also be encouraged to book guests with a wider range of opinions on issues in the UK.