There is a line to be drawn between being able to write or say whatever you like in a free society and the other extreme.

Race and religion are understandably subjects that we treat more sensitively today than a generation ago.

The incident that nearly derailed Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson highlights this. The children’s playground rhyme that Clarkson apparently “nearly said” was off-camera and not broadcast but was considered a serious enough breach to provoke a furious response from many quarters.

The rhyme is one that in all innocence was used by my generation as children to determine who would bat first in cricket, with no intent to offend or knowledge of the possible offence. But now we know differently. We all know the word in question can and does offend, so we rightly avoid its use.

When national chains of fast food providers stop selling bacon because it might offend Muslims, I think it is perhaps a step too far.

I am offended by manufacturers who slightly change the order of letters of the most common swear word to emblazon the initials of their company over clothing; but I have to accept that others don’t react the same way. Those who dislike bacon for whatever reason are free to refrain from buying or consuming it.

In a multicultural society it is up to those of us who are susceptible to being offended to avoid unnecessary occasions to be offended. I prefer not to eat Halal food and would appreciate knowing, when buying meat, whether it is. Giving us all undeclared Halal food to avoid offending those who do want it is not the answer.

It is however unacceptable to gratuitously offend without justification.

The excellent series Prey concluded on ITV this week. It contained some superb performances, most notably that of Rosie Cavaliero, who played the harassed, dogged investigator of the murder of the central character, John Simm’s family. So why did Philip Hensher, a drama critic on BBC Radio 4, deem it acceptable to refer to Ms Cavaliero as a “fat actress”?

In fact untrue, but irrelevant and vile anyway. I’ve been on the receiving end of this kind of gratuitous offence myself. “Colin Baker, who has put on weight since he played Doctor Who…”

Were I playing the undead Count Dracula it might be relevant enough to mention. I wasn’t. I was playing Van Helsing.