Scheduling Restrictions

Advertisements featuring a well known personality or performer or a person who takes a leading role in a programme may not be transmitted in the breaks adjacent to, or during, that programme. This restriction also applies to puppets and animated characters.
 
There is no restriction on performers featuring in advertisements during screenings of films in which they appear.

There is no requirement to separate advertisements featuring performers from news or immediately topical current affairs programmes in which they might appear.

The use of presenters of news and current affairs programmes in advertisements is prohibited.

Where a person makes an incidental, non-speaking appearance in a programme, e.g. a player in a football match, no restriction is applied to an advertisement featuring that person provided it is clear that the setting of the advertisement is entirely different to that of the programme.

Where performers appear regularly as leading performers or participants in a programme series, advertisements featuring that performer must not appear in or adjacent to the programme even if the performer does not appear in that particular episode.

For a magazine style programme, variety show or concert the performers restriction only applies to the segment of that programme in which they appear.

Voice-overs will only attract a performers restriction where the voice is particularly identifiable or the speaker is identified in the advertisement.

Childrens Programmes

Where performers or puppets appear regularly in children’s programmes present or endorse products of special interest to children, these advertisements may only appear after 2100h.

Where goods or services based on children’s programmes are advertised these advertisements may not be transmitted within two hours of the programme.

Quick Guide to Performer and Programme Restrictions
 
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