The word “gobshite” and its several variations are not offensive if broadcast to a Northern Irish audience, the BBC Trust has ruled.

A listener complained about the language used by Gerry Anderson in his BBC Radio Ulster programme, broadcast on weekday mornings.

The listener complained that Anderson had called his BBC colleagues “shites”, “bogshites” and “gobshites” on air. The complainant called the language unacceptable, and asked: “Why does the BBC allow presenters to bully their colleagues on air?”

Asked to rule on the complaint, the BBC Trust editorial standards committee found that the words carried little more offence than “eejit” in Irish slang.

It ruled: “The meaning conveyed by the words ‘shite’ and ‘gobshite’ in the vernacular of Northern Ireland, and in the context of this programme in particular, was different from other parts of the UK in that they did necessarily not carry the same level of offence and aggression and could be seen as a form of comedic banter.” The language was also “appropriate for children listening during school holidays”.

However, Anderson must submit to a quota of colourful language and Radio Ulster must “mitigate the overuse of the words”.

The trust said that the station had “set in place a system that ensured the programme did not use these words in a way that went beyond the audience’s expectation”.

The complaint was rejected.

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