Channel 4 has apologised for an 'error of judgment' after a Countdown contestant used the word 'p***ter' on the programme.
Matt Gould scored seven points for the slur - used to insult homosexual people - on Monday's episode after Rachel Riley placed the letters, A, O, O, E, D, R, P, F, T, on the board.
He awkwardly announced the seven letter word to the programme's host Anne Robinson, scoring the same amount as fellow contestant, Roy Gerrish, who had 'proofed'.
A clip of the encounter drew controversy on social media, with some suggesting it should not have been aired.
A Channel 4 spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The airing of the word was an error of judgement. It does not align with our values and we apologise for any offence caused.'
A clip of the encounter drew controversy on social media, with some suggesting it should not have been aired
Comedian and TV presenter Richard Osman replied: 'Yes, I think, the contestant was embarrassed to be saying it, but in that situation the easy solution is to all agree he scored 7 points and to retake with a different answer'
Matt Gould scored seven points for the slur - used to insult homosexual people - on Monday's episode after Rachel Riley placed the letters, A, O, O, E, D, R, P, F, T, on the board
TV critic Scott Bryan had uploaded a clip of the encounter and tweeted: 'Sorry to go serious on something quite trivial - but as someone who was called a "p***fter" by homophobes on a daily basis why on earth is Countdown allowing it to be said cheerfully as an answer on daytime television?'
He added: 'Yes, I know it is in the dictionary. But having been at the receiving end of that word as abuse for years (along with f****ot), then hearing it casually as an answer on a quiz show ... Jesus Christ.'
Comedian and TV presenter Richard Osman replied: 'Yes, I think, the contestant was embarrassed to be saying it, but in that situation the easy solution is to all agree he scored 7 points and to retake with a different answer.
'We've done that a couple of times with ''correct'' answers.'
