Ofcom is investigating GB News after a guest made controversial comments appearing to link Pride celebrations with bestiality and paedophilia. More than 12,000 complaints have been made about the programme, making it one of the most complained-about broadcasts involving the channel.
Comments on Alex Armstrong Tonight
The remarks were made by Caroline Farrow during a discussion on the Alex Armstrong Tonight programme following the Pride in London parade in July. Farrow, who describes herself as a Catholic commentator and works as a campaigns manager for conservative advocacy group CitizenGO, claimed Pride had moved beyond campaigning for gay rights and had become associated with other sexual practices.
She said this included "some very bizarre and unhealthy kinks and quirks", before referring to furries, bestiality and people who describe themselves as "minor-attracted" before mentioning paedophiles. The programme containing the remarks has since been removed from YouTube.
Backlash and Ofcom investigation
The remarks triggered a backlash, with Green Party leader Zack Polanski and drag performer Bimini among those who spoke out. Polanski and Bimini subsequently signed an open letter calling for Ofcom to take action over what they described as dangerous misinformation.
Ofcom has now confirmed that it is investigating the programme over potential breaches of broadcasting standards. Under the regulator's rules, material that could cause offence must be justified by the context in which it is broadcast.
Presenter's response
Presenter Alex Armstrong challenged Farrow during the original discussion, saying that the overwhelming majority of people attending Pride were there for legitimate reasons. "I don't think it was full of paedophiles and everything," he said, while adding that he believed there could be "nefarious people" present.
Armstrong subsequently addressed the controversy on a later programme, acknowledging that comments made by guests had conflated gay Pride with the celebration of paedophilia. He described the claim as "an age-old gay trope" that had been used to demonise gay people and said the comments "had no place in that discussion".
Green Party reaction and past scrutiny
The Green Party has welcomed Ofcom's decision to investigate. Rachel Millward, the party's deputy leader, said Polanski had been right to complain about the remarks, arguing that the suggestion gay people represent a particular danger to children was baseless and harmful. She also said broadcasters should be expected to meet professional standards and not use their platforms to spread what she described as hateful claims about a marginalised group.
GB News has previously faced Ofcom scrutiny over similar comments. Last year, the regulator found that the channel had breached broadcasting rules after presenter Josh Howie said the "full inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons" in a church would "include paedos". Ofcom did not impose sanctions on the channel in that case because GB News had already aired an apology and subsequently broadcast a fuller discussion addressing the context of the original remarks.
The latest investigation comes at a time of heightened scrutiny of GB News and Ofcom. The regulator is separately investigating a repeat broadcast of the channel's interview with Donald Trump, while it recently decided not to investigate a GB News presenter's claim that there had been no riot in Belfast despite reports of violence, attacks on police and families fleeing their homes. The former Ofcom chairman Michael Grade, who left the role in April, has previously accused critics of GB News of trying to restrict free speech.
The regulator's latest investigation will determine whether the programme breached broadcasting rules. Ofcom has not yet announced any finding against GB News over the Pride comments. GB News has previously said that controversial remarks made by contributors during live debates represent the views of those individuals rather than the channel's own editorial position. The broadcaster has also pointed to the fact that Farrow's comments were challenged by other contributors during the programme. The investigation will now consider whether the discussion was appropriately handled and whether the comments were justified by their context under Ofcom's broadcasting code.
