Fall in standards on television comes under fire from Del Boy

The star who played Del Boy in Only Fools And Horses said he found it impossible to protect his 10-year-old daughter from some of the content, because it was so prolific.

He told the Christmas Radio Times that he was attracted to his new role in BBC1’s The Royal Bodyguard because it was safe enough for family viewing.

Sir David, 71, said of his daughter Sophie: “I try to protect what she sees on television, but you can’t. Take the adverts – I was watching SpongeBob, a favourite cartoon of ours, but suddenly a scent advert came on with this girl stripping off as she walks towards the camera.

“It’s done for mums but they forget a lot of girls are watching these powerful images.”

He added: “There wasn’t much on telly the other night so with Sophie and her friend we watched Laurel and Hardy, made in the 1930s, and these kids laughed like drains.

“That’s humour – doing what funny people have done since comedy began without being edgy and pushing boundaries.”

The veteran TV star added: “The trouble now is we have stand-up comedians who have forgotten about innuendo.

“In music hall days, and especially at the BBC, you were never allowed swear words, so they came up with brilliant wheezes in Beyond Our Ken, The Goon Show and Round the Horne – ‘Hello, I’m Jules and this is my friend Sandy’.

“Everyone knew what it was about and the audience filled in the gaps.

“Today they push down barriers. Language has implications and it’s offensive if it’s meant to denigrate something or someone. Only Fools had nothing unpleasant, really.”

Sir David, who married Sophie’s mother Gill Hinchcliffe in 2005, said: “I’m sorry to say that we – and particularly the youth – have become addicted to violence.”