Laurence Fox‘s extremely misogynistic rant on Dan Wootton Tonight, which led to the actor and politician’s firing from GB Information, was Ofcom‘s most-complained-about TV present of the 12 months in 2023.
The episode in September, through which Fox ranted about journalist Ava Evans – saying no “self-respecting man would climb into mattress along with her” – narrowly beat complaints round Bridgerton star Adjoah Andoh‘s feedback throughout King Charles III’s Coronation to the highest spot of the regulator’s annual record.
Fox was fired from GB Information following the rant, which generated nationwide headlines and amassed a complete of 8,867 complaints, forward of Andoh by round 200.
Ofcom investigated virtually instantly because of the severity of the breach and it’s one in all a dozen GB Information reveals which have been or are being probed by the regulator this 12 months, with 5 already discovered to be in breach. Fox, who frequently featured on GB Information and in addition hosted a present on the community, was arrested in the identical week on suspicion of conspiring to commit to wreck to a Ulez digital camera in London.
Andoh, in the meantime, mentioned: “We’ve gone from the wealthy variety of the [Westminster] Abbey to a really white balcony,” throughout ITV’s reside Coronation broadcast, with viewers complaining that the remark was offensive and amounted to racial discrimination. Making an allowance for freedom of expression, Ofcom didn’t examine however the incident however amassed hundreds of complaints.
Ofcom mentioned it acquired twice as many complaints in 2023 as 2022, with 69,236 over 9,638 instances, discovering 35 applications in breach.
Elsewhere on the record, Good Morning Britain on ITV got here in third with 2,391 complaints over the questioning of MP Layla Moran, who has household in Gaza, relating to Israel-Hamas. Ofcom mentioned one-in-10 complaints associated to protection of the struggle, which has been going for greater than two months.
Love Island, which tends to be an enormous complaints generator, was tenth on the record on account of an episode referring to bullying, whereas Channel 4’s Bare Training secured eighth spot due to “pre-watershed nudity.”
Final 12 months’s record was dominated by complaints each for and in opposition to Matt Hancock, who had lately appeared on I’m a Superstar .. Get me Out of Right here!.
The complete record:
- Dan Wootton Tonight, GB Information, 26 September 2023 – 8,867 complaints – Viewers objected to the misogynistic feedback made by Laurence Fox about journalist Ava Evans.Ofcom’s investigation of this programme underneath our guidelines on offence is ongoing.
- King Charles III: The Coronation, ITV1, 6 Might 2023 – 8,421 complaints – The vast majority of complaints associated to a remark made by actress Adjoa Andoh through the reside broadcast, which targeted on the looks of the Royal Household on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.Whereas we perceive some viewers had robust emotions about this remark, after cautious consideration we concluded that the remark was a private remark which was a part of a wide-ranging panel dialogue which additionally touched on different diversity-related subjects, and which contained a spread of viewpoints. Our choice to not pursue these complaints additional additionally took under consideration the fitting to freedom of expression.
- Good Morning Britain, ITV1, 17 October 2023 – 2,391 complaints – We rigorously assessed complaints concerning the presenter’s line of questioning in the direction of MP Layla Moran.We thought of his reside, unscripted remarks have been doubtlessly offensive. Nonetheless, taking all the interview under consideration, and specifically a previous dialogue about Hamas utilizing civilians as human shields, we thought of the query sought to discover whether or not civilians have been conscious of a possible escalation in hostilities, slightly than suggesting that Ms Moran or her household have been conscious of particular plans for the Hamas assault on 7 October 2023. In her response, Ms Moran spoke about her shock on the scale and class of the assault. In gentle of this, we won’t be pursuing additional.
- Jeremy Vine, Channel 5, 13 March 2023 – 2,302 complaints – We rigorously thought of complaints from viewers a couple of dialogue on the junior medical doctors’ pay dispute.Whereas we recognise that some references about development timelines and corresponding pay-scales weren’t strictly correct, we don’t contemplate that the errors have been adequate to have materially misled viewers in order to trigger hurt.
- Breakfast with Kay Burley, Sky Information, 23 November 2023 – 1,880 complaints – We rigorously thought of complaints concerning the presenter’s line of questioning throughout an interview with Israeli spokesperson, Eylon Levy.Taking account of Mr Levy’s forceful problem to the premise of the query concerning the worth of Israeli versus Palestinian lives, and the context of the broader dialogue concerning the phrases of the momentary ceasefire, we won’t be pursuing additional.
- Lee Anderson’s Actual World, GB Information, 29 September 2023 – 1,697 complaints – Complaints associated to Lee Anderson’s interview with Suella Braverman, on the grounds that they’re each Conservative MPs.We printed our evaluation of this programme which discovered that it included an appropriately big selection of serious views on immigration and border management which got due weight.
- Breakfast with Kay Burley, Sky Information, 10 October 2023 – 1,640 complaints – Complainants alleged Kay Burley misrepresented feedback made by the Palestinian ambassador.We’re assessing the complaints, earlier than we determine whether or not or to not examine.
- Bare Training, Channel 4, 4 April 2023 – 1,285 complaints – We perceive that some viewers have been involved about this programme, which included pre-watershed nudity.In our view, the programme had a transparent instructional focus, and the younger individuals mirrored positively on their involvement. We additionally took under consideration that there have been warnings to the viewers earlier than the programme aired.Channel 4 additionally supplied info to Ofcom concerning the protections it had in place for the welfare and dignity of individuals aged underneath 18.
- This Morning, ITV, 18 December 2023, 1,092 complaints – Complaints associated to feedback made by Vanessa Feltz about coeliac illness. We’re assessing the complaints, earlier than we determine whether or not or to not examine.
- Love Island, ITV2, 9 July 2023 – 992 complaints – The vast majority of complaints about this episode associated to bullying in opposition to Scott. We rigorously assessed complaints about this sequence on a spread of points together with alleged bullying, homophobia and racism. We recognise that emotionally charged or confrontational scenes can upset some viewers. However, in our view, detrimental behaviour within the villa was not proven in a optimistic gentle. We additionally took under consideration that the format of this actuality present is well-established and viewers would anticipate to see highs and lows as {couples}’ relationships are examined. Viewers additionally complained a couple of contestant being voted off and returning to the programme, however this was an editorial choice for the broadcaster.
