After receiving hundreds of complaints regarding the content of the latest series of Big Brother, Ofcom have watched the show and reported back on its findings this week.

Channel Four was rebuked for operating “at the limits of acceptability” over an incident in which Big Brother contestants Makosi and Anthony appeared to have sex in the pool.

Ofcom also criticised Channel Four for screening an incident in which housemate Kinga simulated sex with a wine bottle. Ofcom received over 200 complaints about this incident alone.

The Belfast Telegraph reports that Channel Four admitted the incident was “a shocking one”, but it said it had an obligation to show the scenes to give viewers a true picture of events in the house. It said the images, which went out after the watershed and following warnings to viewers, were edited so only a minimum amount of footage went in the programme.

Ofcom said Kinga’s drunken antics “did amount to potentially dangerous behaviour”, but it said it was unlikely to have encouraged copycat behaviour from viewers.

The message was that this was “not behaviour to be condoned or encouraged” because Kinga regretted her actions and the housemates were not impressed.

It said the episode was not in breach of the broadcasting code, but added: “This programme, in our view, along with the (scenes of) Anthony and Makosi in the pool, operated at the limits of acceptability, in terms of potential harm and/or offence for a programme of this nature, broadcast on this channel and at this time.”

Big Brother presenter Davina McCall was cleared of racial discrimination over what some viewers complained was a hostile interview with Zimbabwean contestant Makosi.

Ofcom also cleared the programme-makers of introducing racist elements to boost ratings in the reality show, where contestants appeared to split into two groups along racial lines.