Good Morning Britain is this year’s most complained about programme (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
The most complained about TV programme of the year has been revealed, but you may not be so surprised.
Plenty of controversial television moments have aired over the last 12 months, including ‘vile’ behaviour on Big Brother, shocking GB News comments, and one particularly ‘disgraceful’ TalkTV interview.
But ITV’s Good Morning Britain has topped the list, becoming the most complained about programme of the year, though there are plenty of other shows by the broadcaster that sparked outrage, from Big Brother to Love Island.
Though Ofcom has yet to release its annual list confirming which moments sparked the most fury, the ITV morning programme has more than 19,000 complaints over the year.
According to Metro’s findings, 19,952 complaints have been made in total.
Those include more than 16,000 complaints about Ed Balls interviewing his wife Yvette Cooper, who is also the home secretary, in August, with viewers claiming their marital status may have prevented him from being ‘impartial’.
Several called the interview ‘ridiculous’, ‘insane’ and a ‘stupid editorial decision’.
Viewers were outraged by Ed Balls interviewing his wife, home secretary Yvette Cooper (Picture: ITV)
He was widely criticised for his interview with Zarah Sultana (Picture: ITV / Good Morning Britain)
The same episode also saw viewers furious over Ed’s interview with MP Zarah Sultana over the UK race riots, with the politician stressing the importance of the government labelling the violent disorder as ‘Islamaphobic’ as well as racist.
She later accused the other guests and hosts of ‘sneering’, while viewers said they were ‘disgusted’ and ‘uncomfortable’ watching the interaction.
Following the complaints from viewers when the show aired in August, ITV issued a response, saying: ‘Following a weekend of rioting and national unrest, GMB featured a range of interviews and discussion around this national emergency on today’s programme which included James Cleverly, shadow home secretary, and Yvette Cooper, home secretary.
‘We are satisfied that these interviews were balanced, fair and duly impartial.’
Good Morning Britain is this year’s most complained about programme (Picture: ITV/RAY BURMISTON)
Balls had been accused of giving Cooper the ‘softest interview you could imagine’, especially in comparison to the way in which he probed Sultana, with viewers claiming he interrupted and disputed her.
Another Good Morning Britain episode this year racked up more than 1,000 Ofcom complaints after a ‘shouting match’ about XL bully dogs descended into chaos.
The heated argument forced host Ranvir Singh to step in and bring the clash to a close after one guest stated the breed of dog should be put down, following the news that XL bullies attacked two boys in separate incidents in Hull and South Wales, and elsewhere a woman in her 50s was mauled to death by two of the dogs.
The XL bully debate sparked more than 1,000 complaints (Picture: ITV)
Good Morning Britain certainly wasn’t the only ITV programme to rack up complaints this year, with hundreds from the likes of Love Island and Big Brother.
Love Island managed to rack up 2,903 complaints, making it ITV’s second most complained about programme.
The villa this year hosted Joey Essex, though comments he made and his appearance on the show sparked backlash.
Joey Essex appeared on Love Island this year (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)
Following in fourth place, after complaints on Emmerdale over a domestic abuse storyline, Big Brother received a total of 1,437 complaints, including over Marcello’s behaviour, which was branded ‘misogynistic’, and a joke with ‘racist’ connotations.
552 complaints were also made about one episode featuring a pro-Palestine T-shirt, which was later edited out by ITV, sparking further outrage.
Winner Ali’s Wear The Peace T-shirt, which featured a symbol of solidarity with Palestine, was edited out, though the housemates had no idea.
Ali’s T-shirt was edited out of Big Brother (Picture: Shutterstock for Big Brother)
Even This Morning had a few, and, following on from backlash over Vanessa Feltz’s coeliac disease comments last year, received more than 1,200 complaints.
The earliest this year came after Alison Hammond called children ‘naughty’, while more recently, a guest was branded ‘repugnant’, with viewers complaining over ITV platforming them.
Controversial OnlyFans star Bonnie Blue, who makes consensual adult videos with ‘barely legal teens’ and makes £600,000 a month, horrified viewers with her comments.
Alison Hammond sparked complaints for calling children ‘naughty’ (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
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Meanwhile, new ITV series Piglets also sparked complaints with viewers calling it ‘simply offensive’, and elsewhere, fiery Loose Women debates didn’t escape Ofcom either.
Last year, Ofcom revealed that one episode of Good Morning Britain became the third most complained about of 2023, after host Richard Madeley questioned MP Layla Moran in October about the conflict in Gaza.
It was also revealed this year that the most complained about moment ever has been from Good Morning Britain too, after 54,595 complaints for Piers Morgan’s comments claiming he ‘didn’t believe’ Meghan Markle saying she suffered from suicidal thoughts.
However, Ofcom didn’t find that the programme broke broadcasting rules, adding: ‘We reminded ITV of the need to take greater care around content discussing mental health and suicide in future.’
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1.
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