Prince Philip. – Alastair Grant / AP / SIPA
Fed up with tributes! The BBC’s coverage of Prince Philip’s death has become the most criticized moment in British television history. British public broadcaster has received more than 110,000 complaints, reports The Guardian.
British viewers have essentially expressed their displeasure with the decision to turn most BBC TV and radio stations into continuing tributes to the Queen’s husband.
Contested deprogramming
The British believe that the BBC has done too much and did not appreciate the deprograms of their favorite programs, in particular the soap EastEnders and the culinary competition Masterchef. Other viewers lament that the Duke of Edinburgh’s disappearance has relegated important topics such as the pandemic to the background.
The subjects of Elizabeth II also complained about the presence on the air of Prince Andrew, who fell out of favor because of his links to the Jeffrey Epstein affair. Others, finally, blame journalists and BBC presenters for not wearing sufficiently respectful clothing for the occasion. For the record, the burgundy tie worn by Peter Sissons when he announced the death of the queen mother in 2002 had sparked controversy across the Channel.
The previous record for complaints dates back to 2005 with the publication of Jerry Springer: The Opera, a musical that targets criticism from Christian activists who did not hesitate at the time to demonstrate outside the BBC headquarters in London.