ITV's hit reality dating show Love Island has secured a dubious honour for 2025, being named the UK's single most complained-about television programme by the media regulator, Ofcom.
Thousands of Complaints Over Villa Treatment
The controversy centred on the treatment of contestant Shakira Khan, with viewers flooding Ofcom with grievances they believed amounted to bullying. The situation propelled episodes from three consecutive days in July to the top of the regulator's complaints chart.
The broadcast on 24 July alone generated a staggering 3,547 complaints, with the two preceding days each attracting over 2,000 protests. The vast majority focused on Khan's wellbeing, as she was frequently shown isolated, facing jibes and eye-rolls from other female contestants, and breaking down in tears on multiple occasions.
Tensions escalated when Khan ended her relationship with islander Conor to pursue Harry. Producers further amplified the drama by airing scenes where Khan and another contestant criticised two other women, raising significant concerns among the audience about her mental health.
Ofcom's Decision Not to Investigate
Despite the volume of public concern, Ofcom ultimately decided not to launch a formal investigation into the Love Island episodes. The regulator stated that the negativity directed at Khan was not celebrated by the programme.
It also noted that viewers of Love Island – and reality television in general – had come to expect the kinds of dramatic interpersonal scenes that sparked the complaints. Other minor complaints, regarding a previously evicted contestant being allowed back into the villa, were dismissed as within the show's stated rules.
Other Programmes in the Complaints Spotlight
The Ofcom complaints list for the year featured other notable entries. In fourth place was an episode of Vanessa Feltz's Channel 5 show, where fashion designer Karen Millen labelled mothers who breastfeed beyond six months as "selfish". Ofcom ruled the comments did not breach its rules, as medical guidance was provided.
Rounding out the top five was a GB News segment from January, where presenter Josh Howie made a comment linking the LGBTQ+ community to paedophiles, later claiming it was a joke. Ofcom's investigation found this broke broadcasting rules, containing a "highly offensive remark which was not justified by the context".
Separately, GB News also apologised this week after a guest falsely claimed Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, had spent time in prison.
