Britain’s Got Talent becomes most complained about TV show in a decade after 27,898 call Ofcom this series
AMANDA Holden’s sexy dresses have secured Britain’s Got Talent’s spot as the most complained about TV show in a decade.
Almost 28,000 people have complained to watchdog Ofcom about the ITV show this series alone, with Diversity’s Black Lives Matter performance racking up the lionshare of grumbles.
But that divisive performance combined with 49-year-old Amanda’s outfits, and some of the more controversial auditions has landed it a spot in the television history books.
The ITV series has racked up a staggering 27,898 official complaints this year; dwarfing the 2018 series of Celebrity Big Brother, which previously held the top spot for most complained about show.
Diversity’s performance last month received 24,500 complaints after some viewers were left outraged by the political message behind the routine, which was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement.
The dance saw Ashley Banjo lay on the floor with a white man’s knee to his neck, mirroring the tragic killing of George Floyd in the US, and all of the members were seen taking the knee.
Both ITV and Ofcom threw their support behind the performance despite the complaints, with the TV regulator refusing to investigate the matter further.
Soon after, judge Alesha Dixon sparked 1,900 complaints for wearing a BLM necklace on the show.
Nabil Abdulrashid’s jokes about race on Saturday’s show received 733 objections, with a further 136 triggered by Amanda’s latest provocative dress – which viewers compared to “lingerie” at the time.
A dress she wore last month, which fans claimed revealed her nipples, received 235 complaints.
Scouse minister turned stand-up comedian, Allan Finnegan, received 304 for his dark comedy routine in last month’s semi-final.
During the auditions, 48 complained about dogs being in cages for one routine, and another semi-final performance received 19 for appearing to break social distancing.
A further 23 Ofcom calls for miscellaneous events in the series brings BGT up to 27,898.
BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT'S 2020 OFCOM COMPLAINTS:
- Diversity’s Black Lives Matter performance: 24,500
- Alesha Dixon’s BLM necklace: 1,900
- Nabil Abdulrashid’s race jokes: 733
- Amanda Holden’s ‘nipple dress’: 235
- Amanda Holden’s ‘lingerie dress’: 136
- Vicar Allan Finnegan’s ‘dark comedy’: 304
- Auditionee’s dogs in cages: 48
- Appearing to break social distancing: 19
- Miscellaneous: 23
Prior to this year’s series of the show, Celebrity Big Brother 2018 held the title of most complained about series with 25,327 complaints after Roxanne Pallett falsely accused housemate Ryan Thomas of punching her.
This remains the most complained about individual TV moment in the past decade, with BGT’s Diversity performance now in close second place.
The third spot was also made in 2018, with over 8,000 viewers complaining as they accused Loose Women stars of “ganging up” on Kim Woodburn during her appearance on the show.
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Channel 4’s UKIP: The First 100 Days got 6,187 in 2015 due to claims of “electoral bias”, and Sky News’ interview with right-wing activist Tommy Robinson secured 3,463 complaints in 2018 – landing it in fifth place.
Good Morning Britain has also had its fair share of scandals this year, racking up over 500 complaints in a week back in May – mostly triggered by host Piers Morgan.
In April, Piers’ explosive row with MP Helen Whatley got over 2,000 complaints from viewers accusing him of bullying the Care Minister.
He was later cleared by Ofcom but warned over “combative presenting”.