The UK's broadcasting watchdog, Ofcom, has published its annual report detailing the television programmes that provoked the most viewer complaints in 2025. The findings reveal a significant trend, with reality TV dominating the list and one show in particular accounting for nearly a third of all complaints submitted to the regulator.
Reality TV Dominates Complaint Charts
According to the data released on Thursday 18 December 2025, ITV's Love Island and its All Stars spin-off were responsible for five of the top ten most complained-about episodes. The primary issue cited by viewers was the alleged bullying of contestant Shakira Khan. An episode broadcast on July 24 attracted the highest number of complaints at 3,547, all centred on this controversy.
The second and third spots were also claimed by Love Island episodes from July 22 and July 23, receiving 2,509 and 2,002 complaints respectively. These complaints similarly focused on bullying, with the July 22 episode also drawing ire for the return of contestant Megan Forte Clarke. Further down the list, an episode from July 25 ranked seventh for complaints about bullying and the manner in which contestant Blu Chegini spoke to Toni Laites, while an All Stars episode from February 12 took eighth place with 1,240 complaints about alleged bullying between islanders.
Controversy Beyond the Villa
The top ten list was not exclusively populated by reality TV, featuring programmes from other genres that sparked significant public backlash. In fifth place was GB News's Headliners show, which garnered 1,391 complaints over a presenter's comment that viewers believed linked the LGBTQ+ community to paedophiles. Ofcom later ruled that the programme breached broadcasting rules, describing the remark as "highly offensive". Notably, in addition to public complaints, this episode prompted a further 71,851 complaints gathered by the non-profit Good Law Project.
An episode of Vanessa, the chat show hosted by Vanessa Feltz, aired on June 10 and landed in fourth position. It received 1,866 complaints regarding a discussion on breastfeeding, which some viewers argued was misleading. Meanwhile, Today With Samantha Washington on Sky News (June 7) ranked sixth with 1,302 complaints; viewers stated a presenter's comment misrepresented the peaceful nature of a mission involving the aid boat Madleen, which was destined for Gaza.
Celebrity and Awards Show Scrutiny
The list also included high-profile entertainment broadcasts. An episode of Celebrity Big Brother on ITV2 from April 9 was the ninth most complained-about, receiving 1,008 complaints concerning comments made by actor Mickey Rourke to singer JoJo Siwa. Completing the top ten was ITV1's coverage of the Brit Awards on March 1, which drew 938 complaints focused on singer Sabrina Carpenter's opening dance routine and the dress worn by performer Charli XCX.
Ofcom Reports a Decline in Overall Complaints
In its accompanying statement, Ofcom noted that while complaint numbers have fallen from 2024 levels, the figures are consistent with those seen in 2021. The regulator highlighted that reality TV continues to attract significant scrutiny, constituting more than half of the top ten most complained-about programmes.
The report provided a stark statistic: approximately three in ten complaints made to Ofcom in 2025 were about Love Island. The 2025 series of the dating show amassed a total of 14,121 individual complaints. ITV has been contacted for comment regarding the findings. The data underscores the ongoing challenge for broadcasters in balancing compelling content with audience expectations and broadcasting standards.
