There's only Un way of life in North Korea: Dictator Kim's bizarre restrictions for civilians, such as only allowing certain haircuts, forbidding women from wearing shorts and banning dogs as pets

Even by North Korean standards, the blurring out of Alan Titchmarsh's 'Western' jeans must rank among the most bizarre acts of censorship ever seen on television.

The hermit kingdom saw fit to prevent its citizens from seeing the gentle 74-year-old's seemingly subversive blue trousers after his show became a smash hit in the ultra-secretive country.

A dumbfounded Titchmarsh jokingly told MailOnline he was 'flattered' and 'never thought of myself as someone who was likely to lead the youth of North Korea astray.' 

But this case is just the tip of the iceberg in a country where almost every aspect of public life is meticulously controlled under the watchful eye of the state, which views any amount of non-conformity as an unacceptable threat to Kim Jong-un's grip on power.

Here, MailOnline takes a look at how Kim's government regulates even the most trivial aspects of daily life - an integral part of its strategy to maintain societal homogeneity and quash any signs of dissent. 

North Korean state television censored a pair of blue jeans when airing a British gardening show on Monday, a move that appears to reflect the regime's efforts to restrict popular Western fashion and culture

Citizens must select their hairstyles from a list of roughly 15 government-approved options

Women, holding North Korean national flags in hands, walk together on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020, in Pyongyang. Rules passed last year cracked down on women wearing shorts and any clothing that does not reach the knee line

Kim Jong Un 's governent regulates even the most trivial aspects of daily life - an integral part of its strategy to maintain societal homogeneity and quash any signs of dissent

Haircuts, arguably the most visible symbol of one's personal identity, are subject to strict state approval in North Korea.

Citizens must select their hairstyles from a list of roughly 15 government-approved options.

Men are expected to keep their hair short, while women have a slightly broader range of choices - though all must conform to conservative styles devoid of any hint of rebellion. 

Those found sporting unauthorised hairstyles risk punishment, including fines, forced labour, or even imprisonment.

The limited trims on offer in North Korean salons were revealed by Finnish journalist Mika Mäkeläinen, who in 2017 captured images of posters displaying the regulated hairstyles during a tightly controlled press visit to Pyongyang to cover the Day of the Sun - a celebration of 105 years since the nation's founder Kim Il-sung was born.

'Equality in North Korea: Both sexes have 15 approved haircut models. You can forget about dyeing your hair though,' he quipped at the time. 

Dress codes in North Korea further exemplify the state's obsession with uniformity and are used as a social engineering tool. 

Traditional attire, known as 'Choson-ot,' is often mandated for official events and public gatherings, promoting a sense of national identity and pride in Korean heritage. 

But even beyond ceremonial occasions, citizens are expected to adhere to a drab dress code that reflects modesty and austerity. 

As Alan Titchmarsh can now attest, Western fashion trends are largely forbidden as they are perceived as symbols of capitalist decadence and cultural infiltration.

Last summer, after an addition to North Korea's Rejection of Reactionary Thought and Culture Act, officials declared that any woman who wears clothing that does not reach below the knee line flouts the principles of 'socialist etiquette'.

A resident of North Korea's South Pyongan province told Radio Free Asia on condition of anonymity: 'The authorities are stopping women who wear shorts on the streets, saying that it is not in line with socialist tradition and lifestyle.

'A few years ago, they were cracking down on wide-legged skirt pants, saying they were Japanese fashion,' she said. 

'Many women are complaining, asking why men can wear shorts and women can't. They are saying that the authorities are discriminating against us.'

That crackdown came amid temperatures in excess of 30C in a country where the summers are long and humid and most citizens are already subject to horrendous living standards. 

But women caught flouting regulations are liable to be slapped with all manner of disproportionate punishments. 

A Human Rights Watch report on social freedoms in the North Korea reads: 'The government fails to protect the rights of numerous at-risk groups, including women, children, and people with disabilities'

The reach of reach of state-mandated behaviour extends far beyond public appearances, pervading home life as well. 

Failure to display sufficient reverence for the country's leadership is considered a grave offence, punishable by fines, imprisonment, or even execution.

As such, all households are required to hang portraits of Kim incumbent, as well as former leaders Kim Jong Il and Kim Il Sung and ensure they are spotless. 

Refusal to comply is tantamount to treason - a challenge to the cult of personality surrounding the ruling Kim dynasty.

Under such brutal scrutiny, most North Koreans would probably love nothing more than to relax on the couch, perhaps alongside their beloved pet, and escape into a film from time to time. 

But sadly neither of those things are an option after Pyongyang reportedly decreed that canines should only be kept for meat and fur, with a longstanding ban on most Western films and TV shows already in place. 

The ban on dogs as pets was announced through the Socialist Women's Union of Korea, according to a source who spoke to Daily NK, a newspaper covering North Korean affairs in neighbouring South Korea. 

'Treating a dog as a family member, who eats and sleeps with the family, is incompatible with the socialist lifestyle and should be strictly avoided,' they said.

Describing the regime's attitude, the source explained: 'Dogs are basically meat that's raised outside in accordance with their nature and then eaten when they die.

'Therefore, such behaviour is totally unsocialist and must be strictly eliminated.' 

The regime also emphasised that 'the purpose of raising dogs is to collect more furs', the source said. 

Rising levels of dog ownership – a practice described by the authorities as carrying 'the stench of the bourgeoisie' – reportedly motivated the new edict. 

Meanwhile, any form of foreign media is banned in North Korea unless it has been vetted and censored appropriately by state media controls. 

There are also reportedly no adverts between TV shows. 

Instead the breaks are filled with propaganda music glorifying the regime. 

However, some BBC programming has made it to the North Korean airwaves after a 2014 initiative supported by the Foreign Office drew up a list of programmes the pariah state may consider importing. 

At the time, British Foreign Secretary William Hague hailed it as 'a good way to improve understanding about the outside world within such a closed society', and shows including Dr Who, Top Gear and Teletubbies were all apparently deemed suitable for broadcast by Pyongyang - albeit with amendments, redactions and censors. 

Kim Jong-un's people risk the wrath of the strict regime if they keep dogs as pets after being warned canines should only be raised for meat and fur

The practice of keeping dogs as pets started small in North Korea in the early 2000s, when they were usually guard dogs

Top Gear is one of a small number of BBC shows that North Korea has deemed suitable to be shown on state controlled TV

Teletubbies is another Western programme deemed suitable for North Korean viewers

Perhaps the most invasive aspect of North Korean society is the state's control over personal relationships.

Citizens are organised according to an ancestral class system, with the state able to dictate whom citizens can associate with and under what circumstances. 

Marriage between individuals from different social strata requires government approval, with unions perceived as undesirable likely to be rejected.

This process is deeply tied to the concept of 'songbun', a social classification system that categorises people based on their family's historical social standing and loyalty to the Kim dynasty. 

Those with favourable songbun are more likely to receive approval for marriages and other privileges, while others face discrimination. 

Even expressions of affection in public are scrutinised, as the regime seeks to regulate not just outward behaviour but also intimate relationships.

One can only imagine the thrill of being a North Korean citizen.