The UK's media watchdog has unveiled its annual list of the television moments that sparked the most viewer outrage in 2025, with a single reality show dominating the rankings in a stunning sweep.
Love Island's Controversial Hat-Trick
In a result that has surprised many industry observers, ITV's Love Island secured the top three spots on Ofcom's most-complained-about list for the year. All three incidents centred on allegations of bullying directed towards contestant Shakira Khan.
The single most complained-about moment occurred on July 24, generating a staggering 3,547 complaints. Viewers accused the show's producers of unfairly portraying Khan as a villain by highlighting her confrontations with fellow islanders Emily and Meg.
This was closely followed by 2,509 complaints about another episode on July 22, and a further 2,002 complaints about her treatment on July 23. Despite viewers lodging more than 14,000 complaints in total about the show's latest season, Ofcom decided not to launch a formal broadcast standards investigation.
Beyond the Villa: Other Flashpoints
The fourth most complained-about moment finally broke Love Island's streak. Fashion designer Karen Millen sparked 1,866 complaints after she labelled a mother "selfish" for wanting to breastfeed during an appearance on Vanessa Feltz's talk show on June 10.
In fifth place, GB News found itself under scrutiny after a comment made by a presenter on January 22. 1,391 complaints were submitted after Josh Howie appeared to suggest the LGBTQ+ community included paedophiles. Ofcom's subsequent investigation found the live programme had broken broadcasting rules by airing a "highly offensive" remark. Notably, the Good Law Project also gathered a separate 71,851 complaints about the segment.
Sky News presenter Samantha Washington prompted 1,302 complaints on June 7 related to coverage of a vessel attempting to deliver aid to Gaza, with viewers alleging she misrepresented the mission's peaceful nature.
Celebrity Spats and Awards Show Shock
Love Island returned to the list in seventh and eighth places, with further bullying complaints and an incident from its All Stars edition on February 12, which saw a fiery row between Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Elma Pazar.
In ninth place, Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke was the subject of complaints for his behaviour on Celebrity Big Brother. The 72-year-old was eventually removed from the ITV show after making homophobic remarks directed at JoJo Siwa, alongside other inappropriate conduct.
Rounding out the top ten was The Brit Awards 2025 on March 1, which received 938 complaints largely focused on Sabrina Carpenter's risqué performance and Charli XCX's outfit.
Overall, Ofcom's data shows that while total complaint numbers fell compared to 2024, public sensitivity to perceived bullying, offensive remarks, and misleading commentary remains high. The watchdog received 49,580 complaints across 8,422 cases in the past 12 months, leading to 24 investigations and 15 rulings of breached standards.
