MORE than 100,000 people complained to the BBC about its wall-to-wall coverage of the death of Prince Philip, official figures from the corporation have confirmed.
The report also shows that bias against Nicola Sturgeon during the BBC Leaders’ debate was the most complained about issue from March 29 to April 11 not linked to Prince Philip’s passing.
Leaked information to both the Sun and the Guardian earlier this week first revealed the dramatic figures around the duke’s death, although the reported 110,994 complaints is slightly higher than the new figures shown in the official BBC reports.
The complaint report, released on Thursday, says that coverage given to the death of the Duke of Edinburgh accounted for 104,010 complaints during the period from March 29 to April 11.
However, complaints are still pouring in, with the BBC having received more than 5000 more since Monday 12.
READ MORE: BBC removes Prince Philip form on website as complaints hit peak
At time of the report’s publication, a total of 109,741 people had complained about the coverage of the death of the Queen’s husband.
After Philip’s passing was announced, the BBC began broadcasting an identical feed across BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Scotland, BBC Alba, and BBC News. BBC Four was taken off the air altogether, with viewers asked to turn over to another channel for an important news update.
The corporation’s radio stations also interrupted their schedules to air special programming on the news.
The figure means that the coverage is the single most complained about thing in BBC history by some margin.
The previous record number of complaints sent to the BBC over a single issue came after its 2005 broadcast of Jerry Springer: The Opera. Some 63,000 people voiced their objection to the opera following criticism from Christian groups.
The fortnightly complaints report also shows that 277 complaints were received about bias against Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP and/or in favour of Unionist parties during the party leaders' debate broadcast on March 30.
A total of 190 people complained after Boris Johnson used a Covid briefing to attack London mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan.
Labour said Johnson’s behaviour at that briefing broke the ministerial code, and demanded an investigation and apology.
READ MORE: BBC halts TV programming across 'all networks' to air news on Prince Philip
The BBC also recorded 156 complaints about a Green party campaign launch which featured on Blue Peter on April 6. People claimed that the broadcast had been biased against farming and the meat industry.
Further complaints relating to the death of the Duke of Edinburgh are also recorded, with 433 people unhappy about Andrew Marr comparing the late Prince Philip to an Indian bride or saying an obituary broadcast presented too negative a view of the man.
Commenting on the Duke and Queen’s relationship, Marr had said: "He was always two steps behind, you know, like an Indian Bride, as they say.
"He was always standing behind."
A total of 119 people complained that it was inappropriate to commentate over a 41 gun salute for the Duke of Edinburgh, and 130 people complained that presenters on BBC Breakfast on April 10 were not appropriately dressed given Prince Philip’s death the day before.
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