ITV's flagship dating show Love Island has been officially named the most complained-about television programme in the UK for 2025, according to new data released by the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom.
A Staggering Surge in Viewer Grievances
The series, presented by Maya Jama, attracted a monumental 14,121 complaints to the watchdog this year. This figure represents a dramatic increase from the 3,500 complaints received in the previous year. The surge was largely fuelled by several controversial episodes centred on the alleged bullying of contestant Shakira Khan, which dominated Ofcom's top ten list of most-complained-about moments.
The single episode generating the highest number of complaints was broadcast on July 24. Viewers submitted 3,547 grievances concerning the treatment of Shakira Khan. This was closely followed by episodes on July 22 and July 23, which received 2,509 and 2,002 complaints respectively, also primarily focused on perceived bullying behaviour.
Controversial Moments and Regulatory Scrutiny
Ofcom noted that another significant flashpoint for viewers was the unexpected return of contestant Megan Forte Clarke after she had been eliminated by a public vote. Despite five Love Island episodes featuring in the top ten, the regulator decided not to launch formal investigations into the bullying storyline. It concluded that the negative behaviour was "not shown in a positive light" and that audiences would expect to see the full spectrum of relationships, including conflicts.
Beyond the villa, other programmes sparked substantial viewer backlash. Vanessa Feltz's Channel 5 show in June drew 1,800 complaints following a discussion on breastfeeding. The controversy arose when fashion designer Karen Millen suggested there was "no benefit" for a child to be breastfed beyond six months and called the act "quite a selfish thing on the mother's part."
Furthermore, actor Mickey Rourke's homophobic and misogynistic tirade against performer JoJo Siwa on a separate programme prompted around 1,000 complaints. The 72-year-old actor faced a severe backlash and was subsequently removed from the show.
Wider Context of Viewer Discontent
The annual Ofcom chart also highlighted complaints about other major broadcasts. The Brit Awards on March 1 garnered attention for gripes about Sabrina Carpenter’s X-rated performance and Charli XCX’s revealing outfit. Meanwhile, Sky News's Today With Samantha Washington faced criticism over a segment discussing aid for Gaza.
This year's data follows recent complaints about ITV's Emmerdale. In December, the soap's harrowing county lines storyline, which involved depictions of child prostitution and drug dealing, led to over 350 complaints. Ofcom stated that most concerns related to the airing of such sensitive material before the 9pm watershed.
ITV has been approached by the Daily Mail for comment regarding the Love Island complaints.
