The BBC has established a dedicated complaints page for viewers following their blanket coverage of the death of the Duke of Edinburgh on multiple platforms.
A statement on the BBC Complaints page allowing viewers to submit their email address to register a complaint reads: “We’re receiving complaints about too much TV coverage of the death of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
“To register a complaint without having to complete our webform or provide any details - apart from your email address (which we’ll use to send you our response) - visit this BBC Complaints Page.”
It comes after the BBC halted broadcasts across all networks as part of special news coverage following the death of the Duke.
READ MORE: Prince Philip: Scotland connections - from his Gordonstoun school days to Balmoral family holidays
BBC One, BBC Two, BBC Scotland, BBC News, and BBC Alba were broadcasting identical feeds with a number of scheduled broadcasts pulled.
Live football, the Masterchef final, and other programmes were unaired as part of the news coverage around the death of the 99-year-old.
The moment BBC News announced the death of Prince Philip, who has died at the age of 99https://t.co/U77Q2IwXlG pic.twitter.com/uSxCzGlzJr
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) April 9, 2021
Channel 4, meanwhile, on Friday aired an obituary programme at 4pm and featured an extended 90-minute news broadcast at 7pm before returning to its peak time schedule for the final of reality show The Circle.
On Saturday, the BBC again made schedule changes, with BBC One featuring a BBC News special on Philip from 10am until 2pm.
As a consequence, shows including Saturday Kitchen Live, Recipes That Made Me and Football Focus were shifted to BBC Two.
Have just realised the BBC have pulled everything on BBC1 and 2 (including the Masterchef final), to show the EXACT same Prince Philip tribute. The exact same programme running on both channels simultaneously. That is truly bizarre.
— Maïa Dunphy (@MaiaDunphy) April 9, 2021
The BBC instead aired news specials and tribute shows across many of its channels, included “HRH The Duke of Edinburgh Remembered” as well as two airings of “A Tribute to HRH Duke of Edinburgh"
BBC Four was suspended with notices reading: “Programs on BBC Four have been suspended. Please switch to BBC One for a major news report.”
READ MORE: Prince Philip Death: Will there be a bank holiday and state funeral?
Many took to social media to question the choice of programming with ex-BBC host Simon McCoy also chiming in over its Prince Philip coverage amid complaints.
BBC1 and BBC2 showing the same thing. And presumably the News Channel too. Why? I know this is a huge event. But surely the public deserve a choice of programming?
— Simon McCoy (@SimonMcCoyTV) April 9, 2021
Am i the only one who thinks its ridiculous that every BBC radio channel is playing the same broadcast (about prince philip). Feels like eastern europe 40 years ago.
— Henry Stewart (@happyhenry) April 9, 2021
ITV also pulled prime time TV with news specials airing including "Prince Philip: Fondly Remembered" and "Prince Philip: A Royal Life".
Thank God there’s coverage of Prince Philip’s death on BBC Two, just in case I missed it on BBC One, BBC News, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 or Sky News
— David (@Zero_4) April 9, 2021
A spokesperson for Channel 4 said: "As an alternative public service broadcaster Channel 4 also has a duty to offer an alternative to others and, whilst we have marked this sad news appropriately in our schedules and on All 4, we will also continue to offer viewers the majority of our usual peak time schedule including 'Gogglebox' and 'The Circle' tonight."
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