As 2025 draws to a close, the UK's broadcasting regulator has unveiled the television moments that provoked the strongest reactions from the British public this year. Ofcom received a total of 49,580 complaints about TV content across the year, with one reality show generating a significant portion of the outrage.
Love Island's Controversial Dominance
The top three most complained-about moments of 2025 all stemmed from a single programme: ITV's Love Island. The series, which viewers simultaneously hailed as 'the best season ever', found itself at the centre of a bullying storm concerning contestant Shakira Khan.
The single most complained-about incident occurred on July 24, generating 3,547 complaints to Ofcom. Viewers alleged that producers had unfairly edited Khan, highlighting her confrontations with fellow islanders Emily and Meg to paint her as a villain.
This was closely followed by 2,509 complaints about another episode on July 22, which also focused on the alleged bullying of Shakira. A third episode on July 23 attracted 2,002 complaints, with viewers also criticising Dejon Noel-Williams's behaviour towards Megan Moore. Despite the show generating over 14,000 complaints in total, Ofcom decided not to launch a formal investigation into the season.
Beyond the Villa: Other Major Flashpoints
Breaking Love Island's streak in fourth place was fashion designer Karen Millen. Her appearance on Vanessa Feltz's talk show on June 10 sparked 1,866 complaints after she labelled a mother 'selfish' for wanting to breastfeed, remarks widely condemned on social media as misleading and disgraceful.
In fifth place, GB News faced significant scrutiny. On January 22, presenter Josh Howie made comments that appeared to suggest the LGBTQ+ community included paedophiles. Ofcom received 1,391 direct complaints and ruled the live broadcast broke broadcasting rules by including a 'highly offensive' uncontextualised remark. Notably, the Good Law Project also submitted a further 71,851 complaints about the segment to the regulator.
Sky News presenter Samantha Washington prompted 1,302 complaints on June 7. Viewers alleged a comment she made during a report on the aid vessel Madleen misrepresented the peaceful nature of its mission to Gaza.
Celebrity Spats and Awards Show Drama
The controversy extended to other reality formats. Celebrity Big Brother landed in ninth place after Mickey Rourke was removed from the ITV show. The 72-year-old actor's homophobic remarks aimed at JoJo Siwa, alongside sexually inappropriate language and threatening behaviour, led to his exit. Rourke later told Variety he blamed himself and was 'ashamed', calling himself a 'work in progress'.
Rounding out the top ten was The Brit Awards 2025 on March 1, which received 938 complaints. The primary sources of viewer discontent were Sabrina Carpenter's risqué performance and Charli XCX's outfit. Carpenter later addressed the controversy on Instagram with her trademark humour, writing: 'I now know what watershed is!!!!'
The list also featured Love Island: All Stars in eighth place, where a fiery argument between Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Elma Pazar on February 12 generated 1,240 complaints about alleged bullying.
This annual breakdown from Ofcom provides a stark snapshot of the issues that resonate—and rankle—with the British viewing public, highlighting ongoing debates about representation, editorial fairness, and acceptable standards in broadcasting.
