In this ever-changing world of woke people and increasing awareness, many TV moments of 2023 have been complained about by the viewers. The Broadcasting watchdog - Ofcom - revealed that it received double the amount of complaints than last year in 2023. The Independent reported that more than 67,000 complaints were made to the broadcasting watchdog about around 9,500 different TV events this year.
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Here’s a list of the 10 most complained about moments of TV starting from the highest number of complaints to the lowest.
Dan Wootton Tonight, GB News, 26 September 2023
Number of Complaints: 8,867
Dan Wootton’s GB News show created major headlines after Wootton’s interview with the actor and right-wing politician Laurence Fox. In the interview, Wootton took a swipe at politician journalist Ava Evans and called her a ‘little woman.’ He further added:
Show me a single self-respecting man that would like to climb into bed with that woman ever, ever, who wasn’t an incel.
His misogynistic comments have become the most complained about moment on TV this year.
Current Status of Complaint: Investigation Ongoing
King Charles III: The Coronation, ITV1, 6 May 2023
Number of Complaints: 8,421
The second highest complaints were reported for King Charles’ televised coronation. The majority of these complaints stemmed from a comment made by Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh. As the Royal Family appeared on the Buckingham Palace’s balcony, the actor said:
We have gone from the rich diversity of the Abbey to a terribly white balcony.
Ofcom concluded the investigation by commenting that it was a ‘personal observation’ and also took into account the right to freedom of expression.
Current Status of Complaint: Not pursuing
Good Morning Britain, ITV1, 17 October 2023
Number of complaints: 2,391
GMB host Richard Madeley was widely criticised after asking MP Layla Moran – who is of Palestinian descent – if she was aware in advance of Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel on 7 October. While Ofcom considered his live and unscripted remarks as ‘potentially offensive,’ they dismissed the complaints after analysing the entire interview. It was brought to light that Richard was trying to explore ‘whether civilians were aware of a potential escalation in hostilities, rather than suggesting that Moran or her family were aware of specific plans for the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.’
Current Status of Complaint: Not pursuing further after assessment
Jeremy Vine, Channel 5, 13 March 2023
Number of complaints: 2,302
In March, Jeremy Vine’s show received complaints after broadcaster Lin Mei said that a 35 per cent pay rise for the junior doctors at NHS wasn’t ‘achievable or doable’ and would open the ‘floodgates.’
Current Status of Complaint: Not Pursuing
Breakfast with Kay Burley, Sky News, 23 November 2023
Number of complaints: 1,880
Complaints were made about the line of questioning by Kay Burley on Sky News during an interview with Israeli spokesperson, Eylon Levy
Current Status of Complaint: Not Pursuing further after assessment
Lee Anderson’s Real World, GB News, 29 September 2023
Number of complaints: 1,697
Tory MP Lee Anderson's chat with former home secretary Suella Braverman on GB News caused quite a stir on social media. People were buzzing about whether it was appropriate for Braverman to face tough questions from her fellow Conservative.
Current Status of complaint: Assessment found that did not break Ofcom rules
Breakfast with Kay Burley, Sky News, 10 October 2023
Number of complaints: 1,640 complaints
In October, Sky News acknowledged that their presenter, Burley, may have presented the comments from Dr Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, in a way that could be misleading. This came in the aftermath of the October 7th attack by Hamas.
Current Status of complaint: Investigation Ongoing
Naked Education, Channel 4, 4 April 2023
Number of complaints: 1,285 complaints
Naked Education taught teenagers about sex and bodies before being exposed to nude adults. Many of the complaints to Ofcom concerned the airing of nudity before the watershed.
Current Status of complaint: Not pursuing
This Morning, ITV, 18 December 2023
Number of complaints: 1,092 complaints
This week, Ofcom received over 1,000 complaints buzzing about Vanessa Feltz's take on coeliac disease. A caller sought advice on navigating a gluten-free household because of a family member with coeliac disease. Feltz, however, thought the whole gluten-free deal was a bit much.
Current Status of complaint: Investigation Ongoing
Love Island, ITV 2, 9 July 2023
Number of complaints: 992
Scott Van-Der Sluis’ alleged bullying on the show received about 1000 complaints this year.
Current Status of complaint: Not pursuing
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Source Used
Independent: Laurence Fox, Vanessa Feltz and Love Island: Ofcom reveals most complained-about TV moments of 2023
