Apology for Ill-Conceived Joke Sparks Outrage
This Morning received Ofcom complaints from outraged fans following a joke made by Cat Deeley, who recently joined the show as a host alongside Ben Shepherd. The controversial moment occurred when Cat jokingly said she was "having a seizure" while dancing to a Meghan Trainor track on Monday's show.
Apology and Backlash
After facing backlash from viewers, including those affected by seizures and the Epilepsy Society, Cat Deeley issued an apology on the show the next day. Despite her attempt to address the situation, Ofcom received 66 complaints regarding the incident, but has not commented on any further investigation.
Pressure to Apologize
Reports later surfaced that Cat was urged to apologize by This Morning bosses in an effort to prevent any controversy. A show insider revealed that the decision for the apology was driven by the show's concerns about potentially offending viewers, especially given the recent decline in ratings.
Viewing Figures Decline
Following Cat and Ben's debut as hosts in mid-March, This Morning experienced a significant drop in viewership, with ratings almost halving in just two months. The show, which airs on ITV weekdays at 10 am, saw a peak of 589,000 viewers by May, down from over a million in March.
