So if you were UIP, what “sanctions” would you be placing on Channel 4 right now after soaking Tom Cruise at a premiere last night?
How about pulling advertising for a start, and then withdrawing access to stars for their programming? That might hurt a bit.
I’m sure that whatever this new programme is, it’s enormously witty, but as a broadcaster, Channel 4 are going to have to be careful of having their name and reputation ruined by one production company working on their behalf. I was always surprised years ago that the BBC let “Dennis Pennis” use their name on microphones when he was chasing stars for him to verbally abuse. I suspect that it will have been one of the reasons that the show didn’t last too long.
Of course squirting someone with water is funny. But you probably wouldn’t see the funny side if you were going into a business presentation, or were being married. And where do we go from there? Eggs? Paint?
If you don’t prosecute, then you’re effectively encouraging this kind of behaviour in the future, with the stakes being raised each time.