ITV's Good Morning Britain has received over 400 Ofcom complaints within the last week, with 354 specifically for the episode aired on 11 September. The complaints relate to comments made during a discussion about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, including remarks by author Nels Abbey.
Charlie Kirk, 31, was shot dead on 10 September at Utah Valley University while discussing gun violence. The following day, Good Morning Britain hosts Kate Garraway and Ed Balls were joined by former Conservative MP Michael Gove and Nels Abbey.
Gove described Kirk as “a sort of Cicero for the TikTok age”. Abbey responded: “I believe he was a David Duke for the TikTok age,” referring to the former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard. Abbey later said: “This is by no means trying to justify his murder. Political violence is wrong… Charlie Kirk was somebody who… I shiver, particularly for Conservatives when he's described as Conservative, because he wasn't. He was quite clearly and comfortably a supremacist.”
Viewers expressed outrage at the time, with one calling for Abbey to be sacked and another urging the show to never feature him again. The show also received 95 complaints for its 15 September broadcast, while Jeremy Vine received 85 for its 12 September episode.
