Controversial comic Frankie Boyle has attacked television channels for failing to take risks with their programming.

In a wide-ranging conversation during the closing session of the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival, Boyle also said he did not regret his most controversial jokes, including one about Katie Price's disabled son and another about the appearance of Olympic swimming champion Rebecca Adlington.

"Think of all the other things that we could get offended about rather than a joke that was told five years ago," he said.

In an attack on programming, he said current TV guides look like "the entertainment programme on a cruise ship".

He said: "There's a layer of people whose job it is to kind of reject things that are interesting. And the trouble is, that layer is at the top.

"If you have someone who's called a comedy commissioner, they should be allowed to commission comedy."

He added: "They [television channels ] don't take any risks and they are taking less risks and they don't want to take risks.

"One of their priorities is not to take risks. They would rather not take risks than have falling ratings and they would rather not take risks than lose money.

"If they took some more risks they might hang on to some of their audience."

Boyle singled out the programming on Channel 4, which won the channel of the year prize at the festival.

He said: "They have a duty they have completely abandoned. They have tried to appeal to the absolute worst. It's the opposite of what their remit is.

"I don't think I would ever get anything on there because they don't want to do that kind of thing. Anything with any interest or excitement or edge to it."

Of the BBC he said: "I would cull a lot of their senior management and their pensions. I would get rid of a lot of hopeless people in there who are stopping good people from doing their job."

The comic also voiced his support for quotas to drive up the number of female comedians appearing on television panel shows.

He said: "It's just the wrong quota, make it 50/50.

"I like quotas because quotas put the responsibility on to broadcasters who have a lot of money, instead of on to comedians who are really struggling."