Charity to protect children on TV

The charity will bring together experts to advise producers on how to make sure children are safe when making shows.

The move comes after a Channel 4 series included advice to parents to ignore a baby's cries and children on a BBC show were left with inexperienced teenagers.

The NSPCC said it feared the rise in reality parenting TV was "harmful" and it wants future programme makers to assure the public that the safety of the child is taken into consideration.

Dame Mary Marsh, director and chief executive of the NSPCC, said: "The group would advise on the latest developments in childcare advice and psychology ensuring that children's rights and developmental needs are the utmost priority at all times.

"We need responsible broadcasting that is not at the expense of children's wellbeing."

She added: "We are increasingly worried that babies and young children are being put in unsuitable and potentially harmful experimental situations for entertainment purposes."