The difference is that it's on TV to a large audience...I have a gay friend and some of our conversations/jokes would get me sacked, so I'd never say them at work or in front of people I didn't know. You go to a Frankie Boyle show and you know what to expect or could leave....when it's taxpayer funded MOTD, then it's a bit different.
For what it's worth, I think that if people take offence to jokes, then it's their problem...but then you have to apply it to everything. The problem is when you start saying "bald jokes are OK but NEVER ones about sexuality etc" - doesn't matter what the subject, somebody will take offence and it could bring up some really painful memories - Hoddle might be OK with a joke but people that lost their parent's to heart disease or someone who's just been diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition, not so much.