Ananova:

TV actor John Barrowman exposing himself during a live radio show "overstepped the mark", the BBC has admitted.

The Doctor Who co-star and reality show judge performed the act on Radio 1's Switch show, presented by Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac.

Grimshaw asked Barrowman, who has appeared in the sci-fi series and its spin-off Torchwood: "You're famous, we're told for getting your willy out in interviews.

"Is this going to happen today?"

Barrowman responded by saying he was going to "get it out", amid shouting and laughter.

Annie Mac apologised on air at the end of the programme for any offence that may have been caused.

The BBC emphasised that nothing untoward was screened online.

A Beeb spokeswoman confirmed one complaint had been received and said: "We do feel that the programme overstepped the mark."

Barrowman has issued his own apology, saying the "light-hearted" banter went too far - and promised it would "never happen again".

The incident comes in the wake of a probe into lewd prank calls made by presenters Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand on the latter's Radio 2 show.

They left messages for Andrew Sachs, who played Fawlty Towers comedy character Manuel, saying Brand had slept with his granddaughter.

Beeb management said 10 days ago that it was "determined to act on the lessons learnt from (Brand's show), in particular to reinforce adherence to the BBC's compliance systems".

Barrowman tied the knot with architect Scott Gill at a civil ceremony in Cardiff a couple of years ago.

The actor's early TV career was as a children's presenter on Live And Kicking.