Plan B Forum

The makers of Fireman Sam have 'apologised unreservedly' after an episode showed a character standing on a page of the Koran.

http://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/mol/ ... 53-636.mp4

Eagled-eyed viewers claim the episode 'Troubled Waters' of the children's television classic is Islamophobic because it showed bumbling character 'Elvis' disrespecting the Muslim holy book.

Channel 5, which aired the episode last month, has removed it from its online catch-up service.

The scene begins when Elvis takes a tumble holding a tray of tea when he slides on a piece of paper on the floor.

Pages of scripture then fly up into the air as they, and the character, come crashing to the floor.

Twitter users identified the pages as from the Muslim holy book, the Koran.



According to social media users one page shows verses 13-26 of chapter 67 of the ancient work.

The chapter focuses on the origin of existence, the Day of Resurrection, hellfire and the attributes of God.

Miqdaad Versi, assistant secretary general, said on Twitter: 'Have no idea what went through the producers' minds when they thought this was a good idea #baffled'.

A spokeswoman for the multinational firm Mattel, which owns the show's makers Hit Entertainment, said 'It has been bought to our attention that in an episode of Fireman Sam (Series 9, Episode 7), an image of the Quran is briefly depicted.

'The page was intended to show illegible text and we deeply regret this error. We sincerely apologise for any distress or offense it may have caused.

'We will no longer be working with the animation studio responsible for this mistake.

'In addition, we are taking immediate action to remove this episode from circulation and we are reviewing our content production procedures to ensure this never happens again.

'Again, we apologise unreservedly to our viewers.'

Mattel also owns the popular brands Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder.

Channel 5 removed the episode, which they broadcast on June 28, because of the allegations.

The episode has only just come under the spotlight after it was first broadcast in 2014.

A spokesman for Channel 5 told the news website Middle East Eye there were no plans to air the episode again.

MailOnline did contact Channel 5 for further comment but a spokeswoman declined.

The original show started on the BBC in 1987 and finished in the mid-1990s. Channel 5 then bought the rights to broadcast a new version from 2008.


R

Gob wrote:Calling it a "prop" means it was deliberately copied into the cartoon, it supposed to be a page of unintelligible script.

Gob wrote:Here's another trick Scooter. Try watching the actual animation, the whole page is never shown, funny that?

Yet in the image shared by the Muslim shitboy, there's a whole page floating past.

Gob wrote:Exact?

Try this then Scooter.

Click on the link to the compared "real page of the Koran" and the cartoon, enlarge it, and then tell me if it is "exact."

As I know you are a honest player, I know what your answer will be.

It's not.

Bicycle Bill wrote:Have to agree with Gob. It has obviously been enhanced. Looking at the five-second clip, frame by frame, there is nothing that exactly matches the single-frame in the tweet; and the border that is so prominent in the 'screen-grab' is conspicuous by its absence.