Colin Firth criticises King's Speech swearing edit

Colin Firth has criticised the decision to cut swearing from the US version of 'The King's Speech'.

The 50-year-old actor - who portrays stuttering King George VI in the Oscar-winning movie - explained he is against the decision made by US distributor, the Weinstein Company, to release an edition with the expletives cut, as swearing is an "appropriate" way to document his alter-ego's struggles with his speech impediment.

Colin said: "The swearing serves a purpose. I'm not someone who's casual about that kind of language. But in the context of the film it couldn't be more edifying, more appropriate. It's not vicious or insulting."

While 'The King's Speech' was originally categorised with an R rating - meaning viewers under the age of 17 had to be accompanied by an adult - its multiple expletives have now been muted to secure a lower PG-13 classification.

However, the film's director Tom Hooper - who won the Best Director accolade at Sunday night's (27.02.11) Academy Awards - admitted he is happy with the decision as long as it helps reach new, younger audiences.

He said: "Unselfishly, I think if it brings the film to that younger audience it will be great because in the UK and Canada I've had a lot e-mails from eight and nine-year-olds who have been incredibly affected by it - so why would I want to limit it?"