UK media watchdog Ofcom has officially opened an investigation into ITV's flagship programme 'This Morning' concerning its tribute to the late broadcaster John Stapleton. The decision comes after the regulator received complaints from viewers who found the segment, which aired in May, to be inappropriate.
The controversy centres on a pre-recorded clip of Stapleton that was featured during the tribute. Ofcom is assessing whether the broadcast breached Rule 2.3 of the Broadcasting Code, which mandates that broadcasters must ensure that potentially offensive material is justified by the context.
Details of the Broadcast in Question
The segment, presented by Stapleton's former 'GMTV' co-host Lorraine Kelly, included a nostalgic look back at his career. However, the inclusion of the pre-recorded film, in which Stapleton appeared to be speaking directly to the camera as if present, was the focal point of viewer discomfort and subsequent complaints.
Ofcom's investigation will determine if the use of this footage, following the presenter's passing, was justified editorially or if it risked causing undue offence to the audience.
ITV's Response and Industry Precedent
In its defence, ITV has stated that the tribute was "sensitively produced" and that the pre-recorded clip was a well-known feature of Stapleton's work, clearly recognisable to the audience as archive material. The broadcaster maintains that the intention was to honour his significant contribution to television.
This case echoes a similar Ofcom investigation into Sky News in 2022. The regulator found the channel in breach of the same rules after it aired a pre-recorded interview with the late actor Richard Libertini, which was broadcast without clarification that it was archival footage, shortly after his death was announced.
The outcome of the investigation will be closely watched, as it sets a precedent for how broadcasters handle tributes and the use of archival material involving deceased figures.
