‘Disgraceful’ interview on channel taken off-air is 2024’s most complained about TV moment -Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro

The most complained about TV moment of the year has been revealed, after racking up more than 17,000 Ofcom complaints.

There’s been plenty of controversial TV over the last 12 months, including ‘vile’ behaviour on Big Brother, shocking GB News comments, and lots happening on Love Island.

But one particularly ‘disgraceful’ TalkTV interview topped the list, after presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer triggered outrage and was accused of being ‘unprofessional and rude’ during an interview with Palestinian MP Dr Mustafa Barghouti.

The clip was widely shared online and condemned, as the conversation turned to chaos.

During the chat, she interrupted him continuously, and screamed at him: ‘For the love of god let me finish a sentence man!’

She also shouted: ‘Maybe you’re not used to women talking, I don’t know, but I’d like to finish the sentence!’

At one point, she held her head in her hands and looked around the studio, and in the final seconds, finished with: ‘Sorry to have been a woman speaking to you but there you are.’

The interview between Julia Hartley-Brewer and Palestinian MP Dr Mustafa Barghouti sparked outrage (Picture: TalkTV)

More than 17,000 complaints were made (Picture: TalkTV)

Watchdog Ofcom released their annual findings to reveal 69,080 complaints were made this year, with 17,366 made against Julia Hartley-Brewer on TalkTV on January 3.

The interview came just two months before TalkTV was taken off air for good, just two years after launching.

ITV’s Good Morning Britain came in second place with more than 16,000 complaints about Ed Balls interviewing his wife Yvette Cooper, who is also the home secretary, in August, with viewers claiming their marital status may have prevented him from being ‘impartial’.

Several called the interview ‘ridiculous’, ‘insane’ and a ‘stupid editorial decision’.

A Good Morning Britain interview involving Ed Balls and Susanna Reid has topped Ofcom’s list of most complained about moments (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

Viewers were outraged by Balls interviewing his wife, home secretary Yvette Cooper (Picture: ITV)

The same episode also saw viewers furious over Ed’s interview with MP Zarah Sultana over the UK race riots, with the politician stressing the importance of the government labelling the violent disorder as ‘Islamaphobic’ as well as racist.

She later accused the other guests and hosts of ‘sneering’, while viewers said they were ‘disgusted’ and ‘uncomfortable’ watching the interaction.

In total, the episode had 16,851 complaints.

Following the complaints from viewers when the show aired in August, ITV issued a response, saying: ‘Following a weekend of rioting and national unrest, GMB featured a range of interviews and discussion around this national emergency on today’s programme which included James Cleverly, shadow home secretary, and Yvette Cooper, home secretary.

‘We are satisfied that these interviews were balanced, fair and duly impartial.’

He was widely criticised for his interview with Zarah Sultana (Picture: ITV / Good Morning Britain)

Balls had been accused of giving Cooper the ‘softest interview you could imagine’, especially in comparison to the way in which he probed Sultana, with viewers claiming he interrupted and disputed her.

Another Good Morning Britain episode this year racked up 1,777 Ofcom complaints after a ‘shouting match’ about XL bully dogs descended into chaos.

This edition, which aired on 30 May, came in fourth place on Ofcom’s list.

The heated argument forced host Ranvir Singh to step in and bring the clash to a close after one guest stated the breed of dog should be put down, following the news that XL bullies attacked two boys in separate incidents in Hull and South Wales, and elsewhere a woman in her 50s was mauled to death by two of the dogs.

Good Morning Britain had more than 19,000 complaints in total (Picture: ITV/RAY BURMISTON)

The XL bully debate sparked more than 1,000 complaints (Picture: ITV)

Good Morning Britain certainly wasn’t the only ITV programme to rack up complaints this year, with hundreds from the likes of Love Island and Big Brother.

Another Good Morning Britain moment which has made the top ten list was an interview with Nigel Farage in October, which sparked 705 complaints.

Love Island managed to rack up 1,832 complaints, making it ITV’s third most complained about programme.

The villa this year hosted Joey Essex, though comments he made and his appearance on the show sparked backlash.

Joey Essex appeared on Love Island this year (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

Following in sixth place, after complaints on Emmerdale over a domestic abuse storyline, Big Brother received more than 1,300 complaints, including over Marcello’s behaviour, which was branded ‘misogynistic’.

747 of those were made on an episode from November 7, after a housemate was accused of making a joke with ‘racist’ connotations.

553 complaints were also made about one episode featuring a pro-Palestine T-shirt, which was later edited out by ITV, sparking further outrage.

Winner Ali’s Wear The Peace T-shirt, which featured a symbol of solidarity with Palestine, was edited out, though the housemates had no idea.

Ali’s T-shirt was edited out of Big Brother (Picture: Shutterstock for Big Brother)

Even This Morning had a few, and, following on from backlash over Vanessa Feltz’s coeliac disease comments last year, received more than 1,200 complaints.

The earliest this year came after Alison Hammond called children ‘naughty’, while more recently, a guest was branded ‘repugnant’, with viewers complaining over ITV platforming them.

Controversial OnlyFans star Bonnie Blue, who makes consensual adult videos with ‘barely legal teens’ and makes £600,000 a month, horrified viewers with her comments.

Alison Hammond sparked complaints for calling children ‘naughty’ (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

An interview with controversial OnlyFans star Bonnie Blue racked up complaints (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

But on Ofcom’s list, in ninth place was an episode on May 28, after an outburst from Nick Ferrari about nut allergies caused 647 complaints.

Meanwhile, new ITV series Piglets also sparked complaints with viewers calling it ‘simply offensive’, and elsewhere, fiery Loose Women debates didn’t escape Ofcom either.

Last year, Ofcom revealed that one episode of Good Morning Britain became the third most complained about of 2023, after host Richard Madeley questioned MP Layla Moran in October about the conflict in Gaza.

It was also revealed this year that the most complained about moment ever has been from Good Morning Britain too, after 54,595 complaints in 2021 for Piers Morgan’s comments claiming he ‘didn’t believe’ Meghan Markle saying she suffered from suicidal thoughts.

However, Ofcom didn’t find that the programme broke broadcasting rules, adding: ‘We reminded ITV of the need to take greater care around content discussing mental health and suicide in future.’

Last year, Laurence Fox’s now-infamous vile rant on GB News topped Ofcom’s most-complained list, after receiving 8,867 complaints.

In 2022, Love Island picked up 2,630 complaints relating to ‘alleged misogynistic and bullying behaviour by some contestants in the villa’, while Matt Hancock reaching the I’m A Celebrity final came in second place.

A version of this article was originally published on December 5.

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1.

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