TV watchdog Ofcom has launched an investigation into One Night With My Ex following complaints that the show featured a “potentially emotionally abusive” relationship.
Former couples spend the night alone in a luxury apartment to “confront their past” and decide whether to get back together.
An Ofcom spokeswoman said the scenes in one episode of the Channel 5 show, which aired in January, sparked 146 complaints.
She said: “We are investigating whether this programme broke our rules on offence.”
One Night With My Ex is BACK!! Want a question answered? Want to see if feelings are still there? Apply Now! [email protected] pic.twitter.com/SieUp3jXyN
— ONE NIGHT WITH MY EX (@joshjohkerr) August 3, 2017
Ofcom has also assessed, but decided not to investigate, Kay Mellor’s ITV drama Girlfriends following complaints about a storyline depicting the murder of a cat.
The scene showed the killer standing over the cat with a bloody knife.
Ofcom said: “We considered complaints about cruelty to an animal in this fictional drama programme.
“While we recognise some viewers were troubled by this scene, it was brief and inexplicit and aired after the watershed. It did not, therefore, raise issues under our rules.”
The watchdog also decided not to investigate complaints that the behaviour of Celebrity Big Brother contestant India Willoughby was racially offensive when the transgender newsreader suggested the sight of men in drag was as offensive as the Black And White Minstrel Show.
The spokeswoman said: “We assessed complaints about a contestant’s behaviour. We found it was likely to be within most viewers’ expectations of this long-running reality programme, which includes clear warnings about potentially offensive content.”