History-making BBC reality TV show slammed for 'disorientating and potentially dangerous' scenes

The Rap Game UK sees rappers face one another in a bid to impress industry icons DJ Target and Krept and Konan, with the goal of bring crowned the UK's best unsigned rapper.

The show has recently returned for its sixth season and six hour-long episodes have aired on BBC Three. After the episodes aired, however, a charity has slammed them - saying that they should have had a warning. The Epilepsy Society has criticised the programme's use of pattern changes and flashing imagery.

Nicola Swanborough, head of external affairs at the charity, said: “We have looked at The Rap Game and have submitted a complaint to the BBC to ask if the series has been put through the Harding test to check that it is suitable for people with photosensitive epilepsy.

“We have requested that they include a warning on the episodes on iPlayer that the series includes strobe images because even if the edit passes the test, the imagery and editing are disorientating,” as reported by MailOnline.

The BBC maintains that the show passed the Harding Test, which is designed to flag problems that may arise for those at risk of photo-sensitive epileptic seizures. As a result, The Rap Game featured no warnings regarding epileptic seizures before the show aired, the broadcaster said.

A spokesperson said: “All programmes are put through a Photosensitive Epilepsy (PSE) test device to ensure that the levels of lighting intensity are within accepted parameters.

“When the PSE device identifies flashing or intensity that may prove problematic for some viewers it is edited or removed to reduce the intensity to a lower level, and when this isn't possible we provide a warning to viewers at the start of the programme to alert them to the possibilty of flashing images. This programme went through the tests and it didn't identify any issues.”

Swanborough added: “These guidelines have been drawn up following consultation with leading medical opinion in this area with the aim of reducing the risk of exposure to potentially harmful stimuli. Ofcom regulations require that TV programmes and news stories have a warning if there is going to be a high level of flashes in the programme.

“Around one in 100 people has epilepsy and of these people, up to five per cent have photosensitive epilepsy. This is when seizures are triggered by certain rates of flashing lights or contrasting light and dark patterns. We do suggest that people also turn off autoplay when they are using social media so they don't accidentally access a video or giff they have been tagged in that has flashing images.”

Ofcom, the industry regulator, states that flickering or intermittent images can cause issues for viewers with photo-sensitive epilepsy. The watchdog's guidance stipulates that broadcasters “maintain a low level of risk in this regard”.

The latest series of The Rap Game UK means that the show has become the longest-running unscripted show focused on Black British music and culture across all mainstream television platforms over the last 25 years.

In the show a group of talented artists compete in a series of challenges, in a bid to win a £20,000 cash prize and a mentorship scheme that will help them to create and launch their own music - and ultimately become the next big MC on the scene. Rap legends Krept, Konan and DJ Target all lead the search.