The Independent Television Commission received 12 complaints that the ad mocks a real medical affliction. The spot is a sequel to a previous commercial in which the character plays on a computer while talking on the phone. The doctor, who has a waiting room full of patients with the same complaint, diagnoses the man as having BT Together.
However, some viewers complained that the man's tilted head was the symptom of a medical condition called spasmodic torticolis. This is caused by a muscle contraction of the neck causing the head to tilt.
The BACC, which clears TV ads pre-transmission, said that although it was initially concerned that it might be seen to trivialise repetitive strain injury, it accepted the ad because it was "inoffensive comic pantomime".
Although the ITC judged that no offence was meant it ruled that the ad should not be shown again once its burst came to an end.
Citroen has been forced to pull its ad for the C3, which shows a jet flying upside down over a car so the pilot could flirt with a female passenger looking up at him through the car's sunroof.
A viewer visited his Renault dealer with the intention of buying a C3 with a sunroof, but was told that a right-hand drive sunroof model was not yet available in the UK because of production problems.
Despite Citroen's argument that the car was French registered and a left-hand drive model, the ITC ruled that the ad was misleading to UK viewers and should not be shown again until the sunroof option is available.
Vodafone has had its "flirting" spot restricted to post 7.30pm transmission following 87 complaints about the sexual nature of the ad.
The spot shows couples flirting via text message before rushing home to embrace in a sexually charged manner.
The ITC restricted the WCRS ad to a time when fewer children would be viewing.
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