Ofcom will not look into GB News’ alternative Match of the Day, which broadcast during Gary Lineker’s BBC ban. During the show [Saturday, March 11], co-host Patrick Christys prompted outrage after making ‘homophobic’ remarks about rainbow flags.
‘Brighton, I’ve never been to. Though I imagine that Gary Lineker would quite like Brighton, because it’s full of rainbow flags and woke people.’
In response, Dolan quipped: ‘I think that’s a fair point. The tofu-eating wokeratti!’
The remarks prompted 222 complaints to Ofcom, and many followers vented their displeasure on Twitter.
‘What the f**k is this TV show and why is it allowed to be broadcast. Just spewing hate across the airwaves,’ one person seethed.
Another added: ‘There’s no other way to spin the coverage of yesterday’s MOTD news/football from GB News than homophobic. Whether its audience is enough to say “mainstream” is debatable, but that there is an audience for this sort of stuff and that they can just feel ok broadcasting it is scary.
However, the regulator has now maintained that the incident was “assessed in accordance with generally accepted standards.”
A spokesperson said: ‘We carefully considered complaints about a comment made by a presenter on this programme.
‘We recognise that this remark had the potential to cause offence and understand why it prompted a strong reaction from some viewers.
‘However, taking into account the weight we attach to freedom of expression, the likely expectations of a post-watershed audience watching this channel, and given it was a brief, personal observation about an individual, rather than targeted against the wider LGBTQ+ community, we will not be pursuing further.’
Match of the Day airs Saturdays at 10.30pm on BBC One.
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.
Source My Celebrity Life.