June 17th 2024.
Have you ever wondered which television moments have sparked the most complaints from viewers? Well, wonder no more because media watchdog Ofcom has revealed the top 10 list! From Good Morning Britain to Celebrity Big Brother to Britain's Got Talent, these are the shows that have received the most backlash over the years.
Every couple of weeks, Ofcom releases a report detailing the complaints they have received from viewers about various TV shows. They carefully review each complaint to see if it violates the Broadcasting Code and warrants further investigation. In 2023, they received nearly 70,000 complaints, which is a significant increase from the previous year's 36,500 and 173,000 in 2021.
To commemorate their 500th Broadcast Bulletin, Ofcom has shared the top 10 most complained about TV moments since the organization's establishment in 2003. At the very top of the list is an episode of Good Morning Britain that aired on March 8, 2021. The episode sparked a whopping 54,595 complaints due to a discussion about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey. Former host Piers Morgan received backlash for expressing disbelief about Meghan's claims of experiencing suicidal thoughts.
However, despite the high number of complaints, Ofcom did not find the episode to have violated any broadcasting rules. They did, however, remind ITV to be more cautious when discussing sensitive topics like mental health and suicide in the future.
In second place is an episode of Celebrity Big Brother from 2007, which received over 45,000 complaints for the alleged bullying of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty by fellow contestants. Ofcom ruled that Channel Four had violated the Broadcasting Code and ordered them to broadcast a summary of their findings on three separate occasions.
Interestingly, the celebrity spin-off of the reality show faced another wave of complaints over a decade later, landing in third place on the list. This time, the controversy revolved around an allegation made by housemate Roxanne Pallett against fellow housemate Ryan Thomas. Despite the high number of complaints (over 25,000), Ofcom did not find any rule violations. They did acknowledge that the issue was sensitive and that many viewers had strong feelings about it.
The fourth most complained about TV moment goes to a performance by dance group Diversity on Britain's Got Talent in 2016. Their routine, which addressed the Black Lives Matter movement, sparked 25,000 complaints. However, Ofcom concluded that the performance did not contain any racist or inappropriate content and was instead an artistic expression of a topical social issue.
Diversity's Ashley Banjo defended their performance, saying they stand by every decision they made, while a spokesperson for BGT stated that the dance sparked important conversations. And finally, in fifth place is a moment on Love Island in 2021, where 24,000 complaints were recorded over one contestant's behavior towards another. However, Ofcom did not find any rule violations, and the show reassured viewers that they take the emotional wellbeing of their contestants seriously.
It's safe to say that these moments have definitely caused a stir among viewers, but whether or not they were in violation of broadcasting rules is up to interpretation. Nonetheless, it's interesting to see which TV moments have garnered the most complaints over the years.
Have you ever wondered which moments have caused the most controversy on television? Well, wonder no more because the top 10 list has been revealed! And let me tell you, it includes some familiar names like Good Morning Britain, Celebrity Big Brother, and Britain's Got Talent.
Every two weeks, the media watchdog Ofcom releases a report on the latest complaints they have received from viewers about various TV shows. These complaints are carefully examined against the Broadcasting Code to determine if further investigation is necessary. In 2023, they received almost 70,000 complaints, followed by 36,500 the previous year, and a whopping 173,000 in 2021.
Now, in a milestone moment, Ofcom has published its 500th edition of the Broadcast Bulletin. And to mark the occasion, they have also revealed the programs that have received the most complaints since its establishment in 2003. At the very top of the list is Good Morning Britain, with a staggering 54,595 complaints for an episode that aired on March 8, 2021. This particular episode featured a discussion about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey, where former GMB host Piers Morgan sparked outrage for expressing disbelief about Meghan's claims of suicidal thoughts.
But despite the massive number of complaints, Ofcom did not find any rule-breaking in the program and reminded ITV to be more considerate when discussing mental health and suicide in the future. In second place is an episode of Celebrity Big Brother from 2007, which received over 45,000 complaints for the alleged bullying of Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty by fellow contestants Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, and Jo O'Meara. Channel Four was found in breach of the Broadcasting Code and was directed to broadcast Ofcom's finding on three separate occasions.
Interestingly, the celebrity spin-off of the reality show faced a similar situation over a decade later, with over 25,000 complaints about an allegation made by housemate Roxanne Pallett against fellow housemate Ryan Thomas. Ofcom stated that while this particular moment did not break any rules, it was a sensitive issue that many viewers felt strongly about. They also took into consideration the warnings given by the broadcaster to the viewers.
In fourth place, we have a historic moment from Britain's Got Talent in 2017 when dance group Diversity performed a Black Lives Matter-themed routine, which sparked 25,000 complaints. However, Ofcom determined that this performance was an artistic expression of topical social issues and did not contain any inappropriate content for the program. Diversity's Ashley Banjo stood by their decision, and BGT spokesperson stated that the dance sparked important conversations about the events of 2020.
Last but not least, in the fifth spot, we have the 24,000 complaints about Faye's behavior towards Teddy on Love Island in 2021. However, Ofcom concluded that this incident did not raise any issues under their rules. In response, Love Island stated that they take the emotional well-being of their contestants very seriously.
Overall, these top 10 most complained about TV moments serve as a reminder of the impact television has on its viewers and the importance of responsible and considerate content.
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