Good Morning Britain has received 452 complaints to Ofcom following an interview with 100-year-old World War Two veteran Alec Penstone. The broadcasting regulator confirmed the majority of complaints related to the presenters' handling of the interview.
During the segment, Alec Penstone expressed disappointment with modern Britain, stating: 'I can see in my mind's eye rows and rows of white stones, hundreds of my friends that gave their lives for what? The country of today. No I'm sorry - the sacrifice wasn't worth the result that it is now.'
Host Kate Garraway responded: 'I'm sorry to hear that,' while co-host Adil Ray asked: 'What do you mean by that?' Alec continued: 'What we fought for was our freedom - we're finding even now it's a darn sight worse than what it was when I fought for it.'
Kate Garraway then reassured the veteran: 'Oh Alec I'm sorry you feel like that because I want you to know that all the generations that have come since, including me and my children, are so grateful for your bravery... It's our job now to make it the country that you fought for.' The interview concluded with the D-Day Darlings presenting Alec with an album.
Other shows also faced complaints this week, including Married at First Sight UK and Emmerdale. Ofcom noted that MAFS complaints centred on the treatment of contestant Ashley by the experts on 5 November, while Emmerdale received 105 complaints over a pre-watershed storyline involving characters Celia and Ray.
