Chris Morris

A spokesperson for Film Four has confirmed that they have decided to pull the planned screening of Chris Morris’ Four Lions from its schedule, in the wake of Monday’s bombing in Boston. The comedy film features a group of hapless terrorists, who target the London marathon. Although the events in Boston have not been confirmed as a terrorist attack, the events in the movie are all too similar to those that occurred in real life.

Out of sensitivity for those affected by the Boston bombings, Film Four cancelled the airing of Four Lions planned for Monday April 22. A spokesperson said “In light of recent tragic events, Film4 has decided not to proceed with the planned broadcast of Four Lions, which was scheduled for Monday 22nd.” In the US, the Fix network have removed a previously aired episode of Family Guy, after snippets of the show were edited and re-ordered to make it look as though the show had somehow predicted the Boston marathon bombings. The show’s creator Seth Macfarlane was horrified by the re-editing of the clips and deplored whoever had put them online.

Meanwhile on Channel 5, back in the UK, today’s episode of Neighbours (April 17, 2013) went ahead as planned, despite featuring a gas explosion. For the first time, the show will also be aired in an extra double-length showing at 10pm. A spokesperson for Channel 5 said: “After an editorial discussion we have decided that this storyline will go ahead as scheduled.” 

Fox television has pulled an episode of Seth Macfarlane's animated series 'Family Guy' from television and internet sites after several unrelated clips were spliced together to depict a bombing at the Boston Marathon. Creator MacFarlane slammed the mash-up as "abhorrent," after it came just a day after two bombs killed three people and wounded 176 at the finish line of the annual marathon.

A Fox spokeswoman said the network had pulled the recent 'Turban Cowboy' episode of Family Guy from being rebroadcast, and that network officials were working to take down YouTube videos. The clips are taken from an episode in which character Peter Griffin drunkenly drives over runners in order to win the Boston Marathon, though the makers of the video took advantage of an unconnected storyline in which Peter unknowingly becomes friends with an extremist who gives him a cell-phone which detonates a bomb. "The edited Family Guy clip currently circulating is abhorrent. The event was a crime and a tragedy, and my thoughts are with the victims," MacFarlane, who recently hosted the Oscars, wrote on Twitter.

Television networks in the US frequently review material that might be considered sensitive after national tragedies such as the marathon bombings. Similar reviews were conducted following the Newton, Connecticut school shootings and Superstorm Sandy in 2012. In the UK, Film4 has dropped the movie Four Lions from its schedule next week. Chris Morris' comedy is about a group of British Muslims planning a bomb attack at the London marathon.

Continue reading: Fox Pulls 'Family Guy' Episode After Boston Bombings Clip Goes Viral