Britain’s Got Talent has been hit with a number of Ofcom complaints after airing images of caged dogs waiting to be butchered.
The TV watchdog confirmed that 48 viewers had taken issue with the moment that was broadcast in the most recent episode of the ITV show, to highlight the horrors of the dog meat trade.
The footage took place during the final audition of the night, which saw rescue dog Miracle and his owner Amanda steal the programme with an emotional performance.
As Amanda made her way to the judging panel she explained: ‘Now Simon I know you love dogs, so in front of you are 40 of my dogs who are back home.
‘I would like you to cut those photos in to four equal piles.’
Each judge then proceeded to choose a card from each pile without showing Amanda which card they had selected.
She went on to play a video of the story behind why she rescued so many dogs, with it being revealed that Miracle had been a victim of the dog meat trade.
‘He was discovered crushed in a cage with over 1,000 other dogs,’ the video explained.
Afterwards, the judges revealed which dogs they’d chosen out of the photos, with Amanda somehow bringing the four selected pups – out of the forty she has at home – onstage.
Ofcom announced that it is not presently able to break down exactly what each of the 48 complaints related to.
The watchdog also revealed that Britain’s Got Talent was the fifth most complained about show of the week, with others including The Last Leg after Miriam Margolyes declared she had wanted Boris Johnson to die of coronavirus.
More than 200 people contacted Ofcom to raise a grievance with the actress’s comments.
Britain’s Got Talent continues on Saturday at 8pm on ITV.
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What is Ofcom and what does it cover?
Ofcom is the regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day.
The watchdog makes sure people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as keeping an eye on TV and radio.
Ofcom deals with most content on television, radio and video-on-demand services, including the BBC. However, if your complaint is about something you saw or heard in a BBC programme, you may need to complain to the BBC first.
Its rules for television and radio programmes are set out in the Broadcasting Code.
The rules in the Broadcasting Code also apply to the BBC iPlayer.
This Broadcasting Code is the rule book that broadcasters have to follow and it covers a number of areas, including; protecting the under-18s, protecting audiences from harmful and/or offensive material and ensuring that news, in whatever form, is reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.
Audiences can complain to Ofcom if they believe a breach of the Broadcasting Code has been made.
Every time Ofcom receives a complaint from a viewer or listener, they assess it to see if it needs further investigation.
If Ofcom decide to investigate, they will include the case in a list of new investigations, published in the Broadcast and On Demand Bulletin.
An investigation is a formal process which can take some time depending on the complexity of the issues involved.
Ofcom can also launch investigations in the absence of a complaint from a viewer or listener.