Channel 4's documentary The Great ADHD Myth? has received 9,656 complaints to Ofcom, following viewer backlash over its portrayal of ADHD. The figure was confirmed after the programme aired on Tuesday, August 18, with an Ofcom spokesperson saying: "Complaints related to the representation of ADHD in the programme."
Viewer and charity backlash
Viewers had criticised the documentary as "disgusting" and "dangerous" when it was announced, with some claiming it was "demonising neurodiverge" and "irresponsible". The programme sought to question whether ADHD could be a social construct rather than a health condition.
Charity ADHD UK also issued a statement and shared an open letter to the broadcaster. The charity said it had complained to Ofcom, stating: "ADHD is not a myth. It is not a social construct."
Channel 4's response
In a statement released following the documentary's announcement, a Channel 4 spokesperson said: "This documentary does not deny the lived experience of people with ADHD traits, but does hear from a group of senior medical and academic experts - many of whom work or have worked with the NHS or have held presidential roles at professional membership bodies - who seek to question whether ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. They also ask whether modern living has contributed to a rise in diagnoses, and whether there may be better alternatives for children than medication."
The programme, according to the Channel 4 release, sought "to determine whether ADHD is a genuine neurodevelopmental disorder, or a social construct". It asked: "Is ADHD actually a neurodevelopmental disorder? Do people with ADHD have differently wired brains? Or does our world – with phones, ultra-processed food, and regimented education system – serve as the catalyst for certain responses and patterns of behaviour?"
Post-broadcast criticism
Despite some viewers calling the documentary "interesting", it also sparked backlash from ADHD UK. According to the BBC, The Royal College of Psychiatrists also warned against "invalidating the condition".
In a statement shared post-broadcast, ADHD UK said: "The programme's own end credits told you what its sixty minutes wouldn't: the boy at its centre went back on his medication, and his schoolwork improved. Their experiment disproved their conclusion. They aired their version anyway. We have already complained to Ofcom. A fuller submission follows, built on the impact data you give us below. Fill in the survey. Send the Ofcom complaint. Two things, a few minutes each."
One viewer fumed: "I've never seen anything more one-sided before in my life this is barely scientific, incorrect and dangerous rhetoric that is going to do more harm to individuals with ADHD #TheGreatADHDMyth." Another added: "Erm… excuse me. Did I hear that right? He explicitly said ADHD is a myth. WOW @Channel4 you should be absolutely ashamed for airing this about an already potentially vulnerable group of people. SHAME on you. #TheGreatADHDMyth."
Someone else, however, said: "The outrage this has caused illustrates why it is needed. No diagnostic neurodevelopmental process has ever been established as constitute of ADHD, despite what is implied and many have been led to believe. The question posed by the doc, then, is entirely legitimate."
Daily Express has approached Channel 4 for comment. The Great ADHD Myth? is available to watch on Channel 4.
