Cornwall County Council has called on Channel 4 to take their reality TV show, Boys and Girls Alone off the air with immediate effect. They went on to accuse the programme makers of “emotionally abusing” the young participants.

The show features 10 boys and 10 girls aged 8 to 11 living alone in Cornwall Cottages, (though not really alone if you read our review here), and Ruby Parry, Cornwall County Council’s assistant director for social care and family services, said it may seek an injunction to prevent the remaining episodes from being aired.

Parry said:

“It is in our view highly irresponsible for Channel 4 to broadcast a programme which demeans and to some extent demonises children and thus re-enforces negative public perceptions of children and their vulnerability,” she added.

The letter also revealed that the council was investigating “legal options” which if successful would prevent Channel 4 from airing the final two episodes.

Andrew Mackenzie, head of factual entertainment at Channel 4, told BBC that the network regarded children’s welfare as its “first priority when filming”.

“All the children were carefully chosen and screened by appropriately qualified experts, including a clinical psychologist, to make sure they could cope well with the experience of being in the series,” he said.

An Ofcom Spokesman said: “We will be conducting an investigation into Girls and Boys Alone. We continue to monitor the programmes as well as the complaints that we receive.”