THE Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) has defended turning down a booking for controversial comedian Frankie Boyle.

The Cardiff venue said it decided not to host the comic during the controversy over a comment he made about Katie Price and her son Harvey.

Boyle was censured by media watchdog Ofcom for appearing to "target and mock the mental and physical disabilities" of the eight-year-old boy.

Last April, Ofcom upheld 500 complaints about Boyle's routine, which had been broadcast in December 2010.

It has emerged the comedian wanted to include Cardiff on his tour last year but was turned down by the WMC.

A spokeswoman said: "The centre made a programming decision not to take this booking."