Piers Morgan’s controversial comments about the Duchess of Sussex on Good Morning Britain remains the most complained about programme in Ofcom history, as Julia Hartley-Brewer’s show enters the top 10. The media watchdog has marked the 500th edition of its fortnightly broadcast bulletin, first started on January 27 2004, by reflecting on milestone moments across the last two decades. Hartley-Brewer’s heated exchange with a Palestinian MP on her TalkTV show is the only programme from 2024 to make the top 10 list, coming in at number six after it garnered 17,351 complaints in January.
Ofcom ruled that the episode, in which the broadcaster discussed the Hamas-Israel war with Dr Mustafa Barghouti, did not raise issues under its rules but it told TalkTV to “take extra care to ensure potentially offensive comments are justified”. Morgan still holds on to the top spot after 54,595 complaints were made when he said he did not believe claims made by Meghan about her mental health during her interview with Oprah Winfrey. After clashing with a co-presenter on the show, Morgan departed the programme for good.
The media watchdog later ruled that the episode on March 8 2021 was not in breach of the broadcasting code, saying Morgan’s comments were “potentially harmful and offensive” but that it also “took full account of freedom of expression”. Read more: Arrest after elderly woman 'dragged to the floor' in horrific robbery Historic Bolton pub to reopen under new ownersh.
