Today I can reveal exclusively to the reader of The Bug moves by the Australian television industry to do its bit to meet rising demand to “lower the temperature” in public discourse following the horrific attack on federal independent MP, Helen Haines.

The campaign to make Australians adopt a more civil tone in their interactions with one another has seen decisions taken in just the past few days that will alter some of the familiar programs we all watch on our TV screens.

As an example, Network Seven has demanded that urgent changes be made by the British production house that is right now in the middle of shooting the latest series of celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares.

Ramsay has for many years made his name, and grown his popularity with TV viewers, by openly displaying his red hot temper and verbal abuse of his kitchen staff and others.

Just the titles of some of his previous TV series such as Hell’s Kitchen, Hotel Hell, and The F Word all give viewers more than a hint of his style of interpersonal relations.

He has built a very profitable name for himself by flying off the handle in front of the cameras, yelling at staff and other underlings, and swearing at the drop of a hat.

But as a source at Network Seven told me: “Enough is enough.”

“We can no longer tolerate putting [Gordon Ramsay programs] on our schedule without major changes to the way he presents himself,” the source said.

“In this day and age and especially in the political climate after the Helen Haines incident it’s not tolerable for someone in authority in a workplace like Gordon to behave the way he has in the past.”

As a result, the Seven source advised, most footage of the current Ramsay TV series now in mid-production in the UK is being cut and dumped and entire sequences are being reshot at great expense.

“Our demands have even seen the new series retitled as Heaven’s Kitchen and in the entire 12 episodes Gordon will not once be seen to abuse, threaten, or raise his voice to anyone,” the source said.

“In fact he takes the exact opposite approach and whenever anything goes wrong or someone stuffs up in his kitchen, Gordon bites his tongue and puts a firm lid on his temper.

“Instead of a volcanic outburst from Gordon, viewers will see him calling the kitchen staff together, lighting some scented candles and an oil burner, before he crushes and sprinkles some dried lavender blossoms on a kitchen bench before asking staff in a low and soothing voice to close their eyes and meditate on what had just gone wrong. (main picture)

“After several very long on-screen minutes of silence Gordon calmly explains that although an error has been made, he will not assign blame, that it’s really nobody’s fault.

“He then gathers staff in a huddle for a group hug before they quietly get back to work,” the source said.

I can also today tell The Bug reader that Network Seven is not the only one rejigging its program schedule and its content to “lower the temperate” across our nation.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is also starting to make changes and viewers will notice small but incremental differences in its schedule starting with the rebranding of the music video program rage to become calm. (below)

An ABC source told me that, like Network Seven, the national broadcaster is also demanding changes to programs it buys from overseas makers. They include a change to the long-running and oft-repeated Would I Lie To You?.

“We are demanding that the BBC change the show’s title to I Will Not Lie To You! and that none of the panellists should be allowed to bluff their fellow contestants by telling lies,” an ABC source said.

“This will make a more honest and less confrontational program, albeit one that runs for just 90 seconds not the full half-hour as it does now.”

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