LONDON, June 16 (UPI) -- Britain's high court Thursday rejected a bid by a Christian group for a judicial review of the BBC showing "Jerry Springer -- the Opera."
The Christian Institute said the BBC discriminated against Christians and breached its Royal Charter by screening the opera in January.
However, the High Court denied the group permission to take legal action.
"Jerry Springer -- The Opera" depicted Jesus, God and Mary as talk show guests in Hell, while the character of Jesus declared himself to be "a bit gay."
The BBC received 47,000 complaints before airing the hit musical, which featured up to 300 swear words.
Colin Hart, director of the evangelical Christian Institute, described the opera as "an offensive, spiteful, systematic mockery and willful denigration of Christian belief," as he began legal proceedings in March.
BBC Director of Television Jana Bennett said the ruling supported freedom of speech and BBC editorial independence.
"While we take any potential to offend the audience very seriously, we believe that it is the BBC's right and duty to remain a public space in which the widest range of ideas and creativity can be shared by the public."
