BBC Denied Extraterrestrial Life Search for 'Saftey Regulations'

Prof. Brian Cox, a leading British physicist, told BBC Radio 6 this morning that the BBC corporation has denied a request he and other astronomers made, to point a telescope towards a planet called 'Threapleton Holmes B', where they suspect intelligent ET life might be located.

The weird thing was not that the request was denied, but the reason that BBC directors gave the scientist, saying that the discovery of alien extraterrestrial life might be against the BBC's health and safety regulations.
Is that incredible or what?

Prof. Brian Cox - He looks like a rock star, but he really is a great physicist

The amazed Cox couldn't believe what he was hearing: 'You mean we would discover the first hint that there is other intelligent life in the universe beyond earth, live on air, and you're worried about the health and safety of it?'

Is it just the lack of understanding of the historic significance of such a find? Not likely from media corporation that is considered quite science-friendly. I'm pretty sure someone will point a telescope in Threapleton Holmes B's direction pretty soon and we will all know if anyone had something to hide.