Olympic athlete Jonathan Edwards was facing a fresh hurdle last night, when there were calls for him to stand down as a TV watchdog because of his strong Christian faith.
Mr Edwards, 36, a father-of-two, from Gosforth, Newcastle, and a devout Evangelical Christian, will represent the English regions on the content board for Ofcom, the new TV and radio regulator due to be formed later this year.
But almost as soon as Ofcom yesterday announced the appointment, the National Secular Society - a pressure group which lobbies to keep all religions out of public life - attacked the media watchdog's decision.
The Society called for the athlete to be replaced, saying his faith would cloud his judgment and make him "a new Mary Whitehouse".
But Mr Edwards denied last night that he would be biased and said he had no agenda for all-Christian broadcasting.
Ofcom will have powers to fine TV and radio companies and even revoke broadcasting licences, if they breach its guidelines on issues such as sex or violence.
Mr Edwards, presenter of TV hymn show Songs of Praise and whose father was a vicar, will be one of 11 part-time content board members responsible for voicing viewers' and listeners' concerns.
National Secular Society executive director Keith Porteous Wood said yesterday: "We don't see how Jonathan Edwards is going to be able to judge controversial programmes fairly if he decides that they have to conform to the Christian values that he has said he brings to every area of his life. We fear that Mary Whitehouse may be being reincarnated - but this time with real power to impose censorship rather than to just demand it."
Vice-president Terry Sanderson said: "He has no experience in the area and he's there to represent the English regions."
Mr Edwards said: "I'm one voice on a panel. I think everyone has a view on what's good and what's bad. That's part of what a democratic society is about. I think Christianity has a place on that table as much as any other."
The world triple-jump record holder and Olympic gold medallist has been awarded both the CBE and MBE.
He said his favourite TV shows included ER, Question Time and Have I Got News For You but he didn't find shows like Jackass, involving bizarre, dangerous pranks, to be funny.
Also on the board are former BBC producer and Northern Ireland presenter Rosemary Kelly, 58, and Floella Benjamin OBE, 53, a TV presenter, producer and journalist.
An Ofcom spokesman said Nolan guidelines on appointments to public bodies were followed.
"Jonathan Edwards is actually a presenter: he does have broadcasting experience. It's not true to say he's got no relevant media experience. The purpose of the board is that it's a board, not a collection of individuals. What Ofcom is seeking to do is create a board with a range of views to reflect the opinions of a variety of groups, including faith communities, minority ethnic communities and people with disabilities."
