UMVA has learned that Good Morning Britain has been inundated with over 500 Ofcom complaints following host Susanna Reid's scathing comments about Scotland's bank holiday for their first World Cup game.
The controversy erupted after Reid dubbed the bank holiday 'outrageous' on the ITV morning news programme, sparking widespread outrage among Scottish viewers. Reid's comments came after Scotland clinched a 1-0 victory over Haiti in their first World Cup game in 28 years.
Reid's remarks were met with fierce criticism, with many viewers taking to Ofcom to express their discontent. The 55-year-old host later attempted to backtrack, saying her Scottish ancestors would be 'turning in their graves' and adding that she meant to say it was outrageous that not everyone in Scotland got the day off.
The bank holiday was granted to tens of thousands of public sector workers and certain schools, allowing them to celebrate Scotland's World Cup participation. The move was announced by First Minister John Swinney, who said the day after Scotland's first game should be a national bank holiday to bring people together and celebrate.
The landmark national bank holiday was subsequently approved by King Charles, but businesses were left to decide whether to give staff the day off. Reid's comments on Good Morning Britain have sparked a heated debate about Scotland's World Cup celebrations and the bank holiday.
Good Morning Britain airs on ITV on weekdays from 6am, and the show's hosts have faced criticism for their comments on the bank holiday. The Ofcom complaints will be reviewed by the watchdog to determine whether Reid's comments breached broadcasting regulations.
