RADIO bosses have reprimanded an outspoken presenter after his comments sparked a broadcasting standards inquiry.

Century Radio personality Paul Gough said that his New Year resolution would be to "tread carefully'' after being carpeted by his managing director.

The Broadcasting Standards Authority investigated after a listener complained that 24 hours after Paula Yates's death, Goffy encouraged people to call into the station with a joke about her.

Century Radio explained to a standards panel that it had been running a competition for the best joke for several weeks, and it was never its intention to offend.

As soon as Goffy made the remark he realised his mistake, and did not return to the subject.

The panel listened to the programme, and while accepting that a mistake had been made, "considered that, in the light of the broadcaster's response, it was inappropriate to proceed further with the complaint''.

Last night, Goffy said: "It was an error of judgement, and I was rapped over the knuckles by the managing- director and the programme controller. That is their job.

"It is the way business goes when you do the amount of hours and the amount of live shows that I do.

"I will be treading carefully in future.''