Good Morning Britain has once again found itself at the centre of a viewer storm, racking up hundreds of new Ofcom complaints. However, this recent controversy pales in comparison to the show's most explosive moment, which generated a staggering number of complaints and led to a dramatic on-air departure.
The Most-Complained About Moment in TV History
While the ITV morning show recently received 452 complaints concerning an emotional interview with a 100-year-old WWII veteran, this figure is minuscule compared to its historical record. In a revelation from Ofcom's 500th weekly Broadcast Bulletin, a specific episode of Good Morning Britain was crowned the single most-complained-about moment on British television since the regulator's inception in 2003.
The infamous broadcast, which aired on 8 March 2021, resulted in an unprecedented 54,595 official complaints to the broadcasting watchdog. The catalyst for this public outcry was a discussion about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's landmark interview with Oprah Winfrey.
The On-Air Row That Sparked a Backlash
During the segment, then-host Piers Morgan made headlines by stating he "didn't believe" the Duchess of Sussex had experienced suicidal thoughts, a claim she had openly discussed with Oprah. His comments, described as a continuation of a "one-sided spat" with Meghan, ignited immediate fury among viewers.
The controversy reached its peak later that same day when Morgan dramatically quit the show live on air. He stormed out of the studio following a heated disagreement with his co-host, Alex Beresford. ITV later confirmed his departure in a statement, saying: "Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning Britain. ITV has accepted this decision and has nothing further to add."
Aftermath and Ofcom's Ruling
Despite the deluge of complaints, Ofcom ultimately ruled that Good Morning Britain did not breach broadcasting regulations. The regulator did, however, issue a reminder to ITV about the "need to take greater care around content discussing mental health and suicide in future."
Morgan himself has since addressed the incident on social media, claiming the complaint total was closer to 57,000. He quipped in response, "Only 57,000? I've had more people than that come up and congratulate me in the street for what I said. The vast majority of Britons are right behind me."
This record-breaking moment sits atop Ofcom's list of most-complained-about broadcasts, which also includes episodes of I'm A Celebrity, Love Island, and the 2007 Celebrity Big Brother involving Shilpa Shetty. More recently, an Good Morning Britain episode featuring Ed Balls interviewing his wife, Yvette Cooper, was the second most-complained-about moment of 2024, with viewers questioning his impartiality.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
