Loose Women

US comedienne Joan Rivers has had an appearance on a daytime TV show cut short after swearing live on air.

The 75-year-old's outburst came when talking about actor Russell Crowe on ITV's Loose Women.

The star claimed she was expecting a time delay so the strong language could be bleeped out.

An ITV spokeswoman said: Guests are always briefed that it is a live daytime show and are reminded not to swear or use inappropriate language. An editorial decision was taken that Joan Rivers should not appear in the final part of the programme. We would like to apologise to Loose Women viewers for the inappropriate language used on today's show.

Rivers, who is currently in the UK promoting her London acting debut in a self-penned autobiographical play, said she had warned the show: Get ready to bleep. She added that it was not her fault that producers did not have the facility to edit out bad language.

During a commercial break, Rivers said producers took her off the set, adding that it was the first time she had been removed in 40 years and she was "thrilled".

ITV1 daytime show Loose Women has escaped censure from Ofcom over a strong language incident involving American comedian Joan Rivers.

The TV censor received 21 complaints about Rivers' outburst during her guest appearance on the lunchtime magazine show in June.

Rivers, who was on the show to promote her West End acting debut, described actor Russell Crowe as a piece of, get ready to bleep this, fucking shit.

In its ruling today, Ofcom praised ITV1 for taking swift action to remove her from the show. The channel apologised to viewers on four separate occasions.

But Ofcom said Loose Women was aimed at an adult audience and this edition of the programme was broadcast during term time when few young people would have been watching: Ofcom considers that ITV acted responsibly on this occasion and broadcast several apologies. Given that this was an isolated occurrence which the broadcaster acted swiftly to recognise and remedy, Ofcom considers the matter resolved.