Members of a satirical Australian television show have been questioned by Italian police after breaching a no-fly zone in Vatican City and flying a blimp over St Peter’s Square. Two members of The Chaser, whose pranks for their comedy programs on Australia’s public broadcaster regularly land them in trouble with authorities, flew a five-metre long motorised blimp with a written message on the side last Tuesday.
Chaser executive producer Julian Morrow admitted today that he and Craig Reucassel launched an unmanned helium-filled blimp in St Peter's Square, but denied claims by Tim Fischer, the Australian ambassador to the Holy See, that charges have been laid against the comedians.
“We've since heard from Tim Fischer that we've been charged, but from an Italian lawyer that we haven't. We're backing the lawyer,” Mr Morrow said.
“No charges have in fact been laid yet. Apparently the police have forwarded the information they have to a prosecutor. We're thinking of forwarding her a very nice bottle of Australian red.
“It's up to her to decide what happens next. We've been told this could take some time. It looks like Roman cases against The Chaser won't be built in a day.”
On Friday Mr Fischer – the former deputy Australian Prime Minister - warned that anyone who carries out a prank such as breaching the no-lfy zone around or near the Vatican could be shot due to the high security around the 44ha city-state, which is home to Pope Benedict XVI.
Mr Morrow says he and Mr Reucassel were detained by police for a number of hours and had some equipment taken away.
The Chaser is screened on the taxpayer-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). The ABC’s head of arts, comedy and entertainment, Amanda Duthie, said that the Vatican stunt had full approval of the public broadcaster.
"The Chaser shoot was approved by ABC TV," she said. "No one has yet been charged and anyone who is charged will have our full support. We are certainly glad they are all safely home."
The Chaser made world headlines two years ago when Mr Morrow and fellow comedian Chas Licciardello were charged with breaching security at the Asia- Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) forum in Sydney. The group drove a three-car convoy, adorned with Canadian flags, through a security cordon and stopped within metres of a hotel where visiting world leaders such as then US president George W. Bush and Russia’s Vladimir Putin were staying.
Their prank was only foiled when Mr Licciardello emerged from one of the cars dressed as Osama bin Laden. Eleven members of The Chaser crew were charged over the incident, however the charges were later dropped.
The episode of The Chaser which featured the Apec incident was watched by millions and became one of the ABC’s highest rating programs.
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