After previously defending its documentary on Princes William and Harry, it’s been revealed the BBC received nearly 1000 complaints about the two-part programme.
The Princes And The Press was broadcast last month and saw Amol Rajan investigate the years leading up to and including the engagement and wedding of Meghan and Harry.
The two-parter also delved deep into the illegal activities engaged in by some newspapers in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including hacking and ‘blagging’, and how these techniques were used to target members of the royal family and their associates.
However, after it aired, the documentary was criticised by the royal households for giving credibility to ‘overblown and unfounded claims’ about the Royal Family.
The documentary also prompted the broadcast of a special Christmas carol service led by the Duchess of Cambridge to be moved at the last minute from the BBC to ITV in an apparent snub.
Now, according to PA News Agency, the first episode, which focused on the period after the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, received 776 complaints, while the second, which looked at the last three years, received 149.
In previously revealing it had received complaints, the BBC said they were related to ‘bias against the Royal Family’.
In comparison, 1,428 complaints about Good Morning Britain on ITV were sent to media watchdog Ofcom about a broadcast which featured a discussion on the coronavirus yellow card reporting system.
And in October, radio host Steve Allen attracted 840 complaints after describing Strictly Come Dancing contestant Tilly Ramsay as a ‘chubby little thing’ live on air.
Earlier this month it was revealed The Princes And The Press was the subject of complaints from viewers, with Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Clarence House also releasing a joint statement following the documentary, which read: ‘A free, responsible and open press is of vital importance to a healthy democracy.
‘However, too often it is overblown and unfounded claims from unnamed sources that are presented as facts and it is disappointing when anyone, including the BBC, gives them credibility.’
Addressing the complaints, a spokesperson for the corporation previously said: ‘The Princes and the Press explored the relationship between the media and the monarchy, focusing on the younger royals.
‘It included interviews with a range of print and broadcast reporters who follow the royals closely and heard their views on the relationship the press has with the royal family and what influences the stories that are published.
‘We conducted more than 80 hours of interviews and sought views from a wide variety of contributors.’
The spokesperson added: ‘This included approaches to Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace and Clarence House for comment or for a representative to be interviewed for this series. A joint statement issued by them was included in both programmes.’
Metro.co.uk contacted the BBC for further comment.
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