Ferry Company Apologises After Inappropriate Broadcast
A major ferry operator has issued a profound apology after an adult film was mistakenly broadcast to passengers, causing distress and leaving children screaming during a cross-Channel journey. The incident occurred on a DFDS vessel travelling from Dieppe in France to Newhaven in Sussex.
The company confirmed it is "very sorry" for the upset caused. The inappropriate content was described by one passenger as "hardcore porn" and was inadvertently shown on a lounge television immediately after passengers had watched a Formula One grand prix.
Technical Fault and Unfortunate Chain of Events
The embarrassing situation unfolded during a disrupted crossing at the end of October. A DFDS spokesperson explained that the ferry had to return to France due to a technical fault at Newhaven Port, causing a significant delay.
During this delay, a group of passengers requested to watch the Formula One race on the lounge TV. Unbeknownst to the crew, the adult film was scheduled to play directly after the race concluded. The crew were "not aware" this content was due to be broadcast.
Passenger Outrage and Swift Action
An anonymous passenger, who spoke to The Argus in Brighton, recounted the chaotic scene. "Suddenly, kids ran out of the recliner lounge area screaming," they said. Parents quickly emerged, urgently asking a staff member to address the situation, exclaiming that there was hardcore porn on the television.
The passenger, who could not see the screen but confirmed the audio was explicit, described the overall atmosphere as "a bit mad." They added, "It was a whole mess with the ferry crossing. People were really disgruntled."
DFDS confirmed that once the crew were alerted to the content, the channel was swiftly changed. In a decisive move to prevent any repeat, the company has since removed the channel from the list of available stations on the boat, emphatically stating, "This will not happen again."
The ferry operator concluded its statement by reiterating its apology for the "understandable upset and anger" caused by the deeply unfortunate broadcast.
