Noel Edmonds has failed in his bid to have a TV advert banned.
The veteran presenter is locked in a dispute with Lloyds Bank over its handling of the HBOS fraud scandal, but Noel’s efforts to have the company’s black horse adverts – which feature a horse running past a memorial service – banned have been dismissed by the Advertising Standards Authority.
Noel, 69, says the fraud led to the collapse of his entertainment firm Unique Group more than a decade ago.
The TV star argued that the ad – which features a voiceover saying, "We have been and always will be by your side" – is misleading.
But the regulatory body has dismissed the complaint, saying that the "by your side" line was merely "advertising puffery".
The body added that it did not believe viewers "would interpret the claim to be a commentary on the situation of the victims of the HBOS fraud case, or to think that it was directly connected to their engagement with Lloyds Bank in 2018".
A statement added: "We did not consider the details of the HBOS fraud case to be material information that needed to be included in the ad to prevent customers from being misled."
Meanwhile, Noel previously admitted that the collapse of his business caused him to attempt to take his own life.
He said: "I seek no sympathy and feel no shame in admitting that on the evening of January 18th 2005 I attempted to end the overwhelming mental pain which had consumed my whole being."
Noel Edmonds fails to get TV advert banned
