What really hurt was the idea of the monkeys - the image that Rio de Janeiro was a jungle.

Rio tourist board spokesman

In the show, Simpsons father Homer was kidnapped by an unlicensed taxi driver, and he and son Bart were robbed by street children.

Simpsons executive producer James Brooks said in a statement: "We apologise to the lovely city and people of Rio de Janeiro.

"The Simpsons is a satirical look at a modern American family."

Also in the offending episode, the police were depicted as lazy and unhelpful and Brazilian men were portrayed as bisexual.

Rio is trying to sell itself as a tourist destination

Bart was at one stage swallowed by a boa constrictor, and Rio's slums appeared to be dirty and dangerous.

The programme followed the family's attempts to locate a missing orphan sponsored by daughter Lisa.

It was entitled Blame it on Lisa, in homage to the 1980s film Blame it on Rio.

Brazilian officials said the programme undermined a major initiative to attract tourists from the US.

'Monkeys'

President Fernando Henrique Cardosa claimed it "brought a distorted vision of Brazilian reality".

And Rio tourism board president Jose Eduardo Guinle asked the board's legal team to look into what action could be taken.

A spokesman said: "What really hurt was the idea of the monkeys - the image that Rio de Janeiro was a jungle.

"It's a completely unreal image of the city."