The Sun and the Daily Star are reporting that ICSTIS, the premium-rate regulator, will impose a £250K fine for irregularities in quizzes during the Richard & Judy show. But ICSTIS claims to know nothing about this and says it is still investigating.

Channel 4 certainly earned a lot more than that from getting would-be participants to call in, even though the actual participants had already been selected. So it's not inconceivable that a fine of this size will be imposed.

But no decision on any punishment has yet been reached; despite reports, so Eckoh, which ran the service, and Channel 4 still have a week or two to ponder how hard their slap on the wrist will be. ®

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