TV’s most complained about moments of 2023 revealed – from Laurence Fox attacking journalist Ava Evans, Adjoa Andoh’s ‘terribly white’ Coronation comment and Richard Madeley grilling British-Palestinian MP Layla Morgan
- Ofcom said it received 69,236 complaints about 9,638 cases this year
- 8867 people complained about GB News transmission on September 26
- Dan Wootton and Laurence Fox were sacked as a result of the incident
He went from being the star of a sedate ITV drama to delivering a sexist rant live on television.
And the shocking moment in which Laurence Fox verbally attacked journalist Ava Evans on Dan Wootton’s GB News show was the most complained about broadcast of the year, Ofcom has revealed.
It is followed by ITV’s broadcast of the King’s Coronation, in which Adjoa Andoh called the Royal balcony ‘terribly white,’ while one in ten complaints to the regularity body were about coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Ofcom said it received 69,236 complaints about 9,638 cases this year, which is nearly double what it received in 2022.
A total of 8867 people complained to Ofcom about the GB News transmission on September 26, which resulted in the sacking of both Fox and Wootton.
The shocking moment in which Laurence Fox verbally attacked journalist Ava Evans on Dan Wootton’s GB News show was the most complained about broadcast of the year, Ofcom has revealed
Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh’s comments during a discussion on ITV during the Coronation in May received 8421 complaints from viewers, with Ofcom ruling not to pursue them as it had been a ‘personal observation’
A large proportion of the complaints was in relation to the Israel-Gaza war, with Richard Madeley’s interview with British-Palestinian MP Layla Morgan on ITV’s Good Morning Britain prompting the third-highest amount
The Lewis actor, 45, made a series of sexist remarks about the political journalist, including one in which he said no ‘self-respecting man would climb into bed with her’. He issued a public apology to Ms Evans after being suspended from the programme, admitting the comments had been ‘inappropriate’. He was later sacked and the Ofcom investigation is ongoing.
Bridgerton actress Ms Andoh’s comments during a discussion on ITV during the Coronation in May received 8421 complaints from viewers, with Ofcom ruling not to pursue them as it had been a ‘personal observation’.
During the broadcast, Ms Andoh said: ‘Looking at all those young people, there is a bit of me that has gone from the rich diversity of the Abbey to the terribly white balcony. I’m very struck by that.’
A large proportion of the complaints was in relation to the Israel-Gaza war, with Richard Madeley’s interview with British-Palestinian MP Layla Morgan on ITV’s Good Morning Britain prompting the third-highest amount.
He faced a backlash after asking the MP whether she knew about Hamas’ attack on Israel before it happened, after which 2391 people complained to Ofcom.
A discussion about the junior doctors’ pay dispute on the Jeremy Vine show received 2,302 complaints due to a number of inaccuracies.
Kay Burley’s Sky News interview with Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy also received a number of complaints after she asked him what he thought of a claim that Israel did not value Palestinian lives as highly as Israeli lives.
Complaints made about BBC broadcasts are not included in the number as under the BBC Charter, they must be dealt with first by the broadcaster and only taken to Ofcom if they need further investigation.
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