Good Morning Britain hit by over 8000 Ofcom complaints over Ed Balls interview branded ‘vile’
GOOD Morning Britain has been hit by over 8,000 Ofcom complaints after Ed Balls interviewed his own wife, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, on the ITV show.
The complaints also related to his questioning of Labour MP Zarah Sultana as the show addressed the UK’s far right riots.
Viewers hit out on social media and branded the interviews on Monday “surreal” and “vile” with now 8,201 people lodging complaints to the telly watchdog.
Some ITV fans called for Ed, 57, to be sacked following a heated debate with Zarah, 30, over the interpretation of her comments about the current UK rioting.
Zarah appeared in the ITV studio with Ed, co-host Kate Garraway and GMB pundits Andrew Pierce and Ben Bradshaw.
The Coventry South Labour MP criticised prime minister Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to call the rioters “Islamophobic” and “racist”.
Kate asked why it was important to use that language, and Zara replied: “In Stockport, a mosque was targeted.
“Bricks were thrown, people who were in the mosque were locked down, feared for their lives.”
Former Labour shadow chancellor, Ed interupted her and said: “Keir has condemned that.”
She then pointed out Ed’s anti-immigration article from 2010 published in the The Guardian, saying: “Can I finish?
“I would also say that the role of the Labour party, the controls on immigration, and also your article in the Guardian where you said the problem with new Labour is they have accepted too many Eastern European migrants, we have to look at all of this, historically, over at least two three decades.”
Ed interupted Zarah again, and said: “Well I was totally right in that article.”
Zarah continued: “So the discussion around immigration, you don’t think that has played a role in what we are seeing?”
Ed waded in again: “I think if you fail to control and manage immigration properly things go wrong.”
Zarah responded: “The language they are using, saying ‘stop the boats’, telling people like me ‘to go home’ if we look at the language used by politicians, and these people, you will see a direct correlation.”
Ed began to laugh as she spoke and replied: “You’ve moved from attacking Andrew to attacking me. So let me have a go … “
The camera panned to journalist Andrew and Labour politician Ben Ben, who were also seen laughing at Zarah.
Throughout the debate, Zarah remained firm in her position – but Kate, journalist Andrew Pierce and Labour politician Ben Bradshaw appearing to side with the show anchor.
She continued: “I’m not endorsing violence, I’m saying that we need to understand the reasons why it happens.”
Later that morning Ed cross-examined his own wife in what viewers branded a “surreal” moment and they accused him of going “low ball” on Yvette, 55.
He asked his wife: “Can I ask, because we’ve talked about this a few times in the last few days – like many of our viewers will have done at home since those terrible killings in Southport – there have been identifiable individuals on social media who have been inciting not just riots but violence.
“They’ve been using racist language and falsehoods.
“This is happening on the social media platforms. What should be done by the social media companies and the police and the government to stop this happening? It’s been happening for a week.”
She responded: “Well you’re right, Ed. We have seen things appearing online that are clearly criminal.
“Social media has put rocket boosters under far-right extremist organisations and also some of the violence we have seen. Things that are criminal offline are also criminal online.”
Good Morning Britain's Biggest Ofcom complaints
Good Morning Britain has had its fair share of Ofcom complaints over the years, even holding the title for most complained about show in 2021. Here are some of the most notable:
- September 2017 – Michael Davidson appeared on the programme to argue his case for gay conversion therapy – 1,099 complaints
- January 2020 – Piers Morgan under fire for ‘mocking Chinese accent’ in conversation on Peter Phillips advertising Chinese milk – 1,756 complaints
- April 2020 – Piers Morgan criticised for ‘combative’ interview techniques used while talking to MP Helen Whatley over Covid care home deaths and treatment – 5,501 complaints
- November 2020 – Rishi Sunak and Ben Shephard clash over disputed information regarding Covid furlough scheme – 1,700 complaints
- March 2021 – Piers Morgan’s comments about Meghan Markle and mental health after her Oprah interview – 57,121 complaints
- October 2023 – Richard Madeley asked MP Layla Moran – who has family in Gaza – if she had any prior knowledge of Hamas attack – 2,391 complaints.