Media regulator Ofcom today revoked the broadcast licence of four adult pay-TV channels, including Tease Me and Tease Me 2, after they repeatedly aired material that was too sexually explicit for pre-watershed hours.
The four adult chat channels were deemed "no longer fit and proper" to remain on air, following "serious and repeated" breaches of Ofcom's broadcasting code.
Some of the daytime material broadcast on the Tease Me channels was described as the equivalent of hardcore pornography by the regulator.
Ofcom said the ruling should act as a warning to other adult channels, such as Richard Desmond's Television X and Babestation. The regulator plans to meet all licensees in this sector to ensure they are serious about adhering to the broadcasting code.
In July, Ofcom fined London-based Tease Me owners Bang Channels Limited and Bang Media Limited a total of £157,250 for "manifest recklessness" in its compliance system.
More than 60 individual breaches have been committed by the channels in the past 18 months, Ofcom revealed today.
Last week Ofcom suspended transmission of Tease Me, Tease Me TV, and Tease Me 2 and Tease Me 3. Today the regulator revoked their licences with immediate effect.
The channels, all of which were available on Sky's digital satellite subscription service, encourage viewers to call premium-rate phone lines for adult chat. Ofcom said that both companies repeatedly breached rules protecting children from inappropriate material.
Chris Banatvala, Ofcom's director of standards, said: "We simply will not tolerate serious and repeated breaches of the code and have therefore decided to revoke these licences.
"Audiences should be assured that we will continue to take action to stop broadcasters breaching the rules in this area."
Last year Ofcom announced a crackdown on the amount of "sustained sex scenes and sexual language" shown on TV immediately after the 9pm watershed.
The move followed a number of breaches of the broadcasting code from adult channels which encourage viewers to call premium-rate phone lines.
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