An ITV boss has opened up about Ed Balls‘ “tricky” interview with his wife on GMB following thousands of Ofcom complaints.
In August, Good Morning Britain came under fire as host Ed interviewed his wife, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. Ed and co-host Kate Garraway interviewed Yvette on the government’s response to violent riots happening in parts of the UK at the time.
The interview sparked more than 16,000 complaints to TV watchdog Ofcom. In addition, Ed and Kate’s interview with MP Zarah Sultana about the same issue sparked complaints too.
Ed Balls and wife on GMB
Viewers slammed the interview and questioned its impartiality.
Ofcom recently announced it will not investigate the complaints. A statement read: “Taking into account that their relationship was made clear twice, that a range of views about Labour’s handling of the riots were included in the programme as a whole, and given the vast majority of the interview was conducted by co-presenter, Kate Garraway, we will not be pursuing further.”
Meanwhile, it also addressed complaints made about the interview with Sultana. Ofcom said: “In our view, Ms Sultana was given ample opportunity to express her views. And respond to the questions put to her, while we consider the robust line of questioning would be consistent with regular viewers’ expectations of interviews with political figures on this programme.”
ITV boss speaks out
Now, ITV’s chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall has addressed the interviews too.
She told the Royal Television Society London Conference: “It was a very, very tricky morning. There was a national emergency almost being called. So we got very short notice that the home secretary was coming on the show.
Was it impartial, fair and balanced? And did they behave professionally? Yes.
“She was doing a whole round [of interviews], but it was unexpected, and we believe that it was fair and impartial.”
Dame Carolyn added: “And actually Ofcom just ruled, but amazingly no-one has picked up on the fact, that Ofcom are not pursuing these complaints. Because they believe it’s fair, balanced and impartial.
“So would we do it again? No. Was it impartial, fair and balanced? And did they behave professionally? Yes.”
Meanwhile, she concluded: “I mean, he asked her a few questions, but I think Kate was leading on that wasn’t she?
“If Ofcom have looked at it and they’re not pursuing this any further because they thought it was fair balanced and impartial, you know, that’s it.”
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GMB airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
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