Peep Show star David Mitchell has drawn complaints to the BBC after a joke he made about Anne Frank.

Mr Mitchell told a joke on his new Radio 4 show, The Unbelievable Truth, where he said: “There is absolutely no truth in the rumour that the last line in Anne Frank’s diary reads: ‘Today is my birthday and my dad bought me a drum kit.’”

Almost 50 complaints were received by the BBC about the “insensitive” nature of the joke.

A BBC spokesman said: “The joke was a ludicrous and far-fetched way of illustrating the rules of the game. Regular listeners are familiar with its style and tone."

David Mitchell wrote on his Twitter profile, in reference to the complaints: “It’s been a rough patch for those who try to make jokes.”