Star Trek actor William Shatner has apologised to the Devon town of Ilfracombe after making a gag suggesting it was a haven for prostitution. The flip remark was made on Have I Got News For You after Charlie Brooker said his mispronunciation of the town made it sound "deeply sexual". It isn't. Paul Crabb, a former mayor of the town invited him to visit the seaside resort with the siren's call of: "There is no prostitution in Ilfracombe."

The lack of prostitution isn't the reason behind the actor's absence though, as his apology did little to quell local anger. Shatner explained that prostitution "commonly means sex for something of value. I would be hard pressed to believe that sex was not being had in Ilfracombe for something of value, perhaps a lengthy marriage, children or a valuable career."

So basically, Ilfracombe, though no money's changing hands, you're all prostitutes. Who does Shatner's PR? Anders Breivik?

But if marriage and motherhood are all forms of prostitution, in which sex is exchanged for lengthy marriage or children (that's just creepy - Ed.), doesn't that make prostitutes of us all? It's a very bleak picture of humanity, if we may say so, Bill.

Captain James T Kirk went where no man had gone before, of course, but we think that referred to planetary exploration. He did seem to find a lot of foxy aliens who would ask him, "What is kiss, Captain?" before succumbing to his portly charms. It may have given him a skewed perspective on ladies of the galaxy and, therefore, the North Devon coast.

Copyright : Comedy Central UK