Channel 4 under fire as boys told to give sperm samples for new Jamie Oliver show
The scenes will be featured in Jamies Dream School, in which he attempts to turn around a group of troubled teenagers by sending them to a school run by celebrities.As part of the seven-week series, the teachers including Tony Blairs wife Cherie and his former communications chief Alastair Campbell were asked to devise classes about their specialist field.
Jamie Oliver with a team of inspirational teachers including Lord Winston, David Starkey and Alastair Campbell he has recruited to turn around the lives of teens who struggled with schoolThe controversial biological test was set up by leading fertility expert Professor Robert Winston to interest the 20 pupils, who have been removed or excluded from mainstream education, in the excitement of science.In the one-hour programme, to be screened next month, the 70-year-old Labour peer asks two boys in the mixed class of youngsters aged 16 to 18 to leave the room to produce a sperm sample for investigation under microscopic analysis where it will be compared with the sperm of other animals, including horses and pigs.
Controversial: Fertility expert Professor Lord Robert Winston set up the biological test in 'the excitement of science'Lord Winston, who has presented a string of BBC documentaries on human development, admitted in a newspaper article yesterday: It was as close to the edge as you could get but thats how I wanted my lessons to be.
'I got some boys to leave the room and come back with a sample of their own seminal fluid for the class to look at under the microscope.Instantly kids of both sexes were very excited. I coul! d have b rought samples with me into the classroom but everyone knows that that wouldnt have been the same as looking at your own body.Every scientist, if he is good at his job will have experimented on his own body at some point.A Channel 4 source insisted viewers would not see the samples being collected.
Aspokesman said all the pupils involved in the programme were given a fortnights warning about the experiment, which took place while the show was being filmed in North London at the end of last year, and couldhave opted out.He went on: Written consent was given by the parents of the boys providing samples. All of the students were happy with the lesson and found it enlightening.Professor Winston a pioneer of IVF treatment wanted the students to see that biology is about them and that everyone should understand their own body and reproductive functions.
Jamies Dream School aims to engage twenty 16-18 year olds who have left school with few qualifications and persuade them to give education a second chance.But David Turtle, spokesman for the pressure group Mediawatch UK, said last night: This is just a cheap way to get boost ratings and increase advertising revenues.
From our point of view its condoning a form of behaviour in a classroom situation.
'If youre going to have a proper discussion about reproduction and sexuality you dont do it like this.We have serious concerns about the programme and we have concerns about Jamie Oliver as a role model for young people.Mr Winstons involvement seems very unusual.Former Home Office Minister Ann Widdecombe: I think its hugely distasteful. I am amazed Channel 4 are letting it go out. It is horrible.
Its yet another step towards the road that there is no limit to what you can put on television these days.
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