Did Shortland Street drop the F-bomb on TV?

It looks like we're finally going to be able to move on from the whole 'yanny' or 'laurel' saga, because now there's a new debate raging...

Did an actor on 'Shortland Street' really say the f-word?

According to one listener, they definitely did.

In the episode in question - which aired in December - character Jack was arguing with a police officer who had been harassing his family.

According to the show's provided closed captions, the police officer said: "You've got no freaking idea what we can do. You think you're smart, you all do. Nothing but scum, your mongrel Dad, your crim Mum."

But a complaint to the Broadcasting Standards Authority claims the officer used the word "f***ing", not "freaking" and that was "unacceptable" considering Shortland Street's 7pm time slot and PGR rating.

The BSA, however, aren't sure what the word being said is.

They viewed and listened to the scene "a number of times" and never managed to determine what they were hearing.

"In our view, the word used was not 'freaking'. However, we were not able to determine whether the word used was 'f***ing' or some less offensive but similar sounding word," the BSA said.

"Just as we found it difficult to determine what was being said, so we believe most listeners and viewers would have had the same difficulty. The diction of the speaker was poor and what was being said was said quickly."

What did you hear?