The funniest BBC complaints ever made

Strictly Come Dancing and EastEnders seem to provoke particular rage

One viewer was outraged that a certain Egghead contributor did not seem to 'care about winning' (BBC)

It’s a well-known fact that TV viewers love to complain, be it tutting on the sofa when a game show contest gets an easy question wrong or moaning about dodgy judging decisions on the likes of Britain’s Got Talent and The Voice.

The BBC receives many complaints along the more mundane lines of grammar, diction, pronunciation and, err, Jeremy Clarkson, but there have been some much more entertaining ones for the team to have a chuckle at.

Any viewer can lodge an official complaint, which might be passed up to the BBC Trust’s Complaints and Appeals Board if it relates to anything other than editorial standards.

Luckily for our amusement, all complaints are made available online in the interest of transparency, with Den of Geek first drawing some of the examples below to our attention. No names are published, so you can spare the blushes if you find yourself one of the culprits.

Countryfile should be renamed ‘Carnophile’

(BBC)

One vegetarian viewer was appalled by what they saw as an emphasis on meat-eating and slaughtering animals in Countryfile. She complained, arguing that the BBC was showing bias by presenting meat-eating as a “norm” and suggested that the programme be renamed Carnophile. The BBC told the complainant that her feedback would be passed on to the production team.

Too many antique dealers spoil the auction

A complainant asked to see all the job descriptions of staff working on Antiques Road Trip after becoming convinced that there were too many people involved with making it.

Eggheads lacking the required desire to win

CJ’s arrogance can often be too much for tea time (and indeed life) but while Eggheads is the show many of us love to hate, those of us with the time to actually complain are thankfully few and far between. Despite this, the BBC received a complaint in 2013 arguing that one Egghead was “not clever enough” and “did not appear to care about winning”. Not content with just making their point known, the complainant asked that an “examination of the contributor’s winning to losing ratio” be conducted in order to prove his point. No resolution was reached.

That EastEnders lot spend too much time in the pub

Tanya Branning (played by Jo Joyner) talk to Max Branning (played by Jake Wood)

Newsflash to this viewer, it’s a fictional soap. Nevertheless, he lodged a formal complaint arguing that the stories were unbelievable because “people spent too much time in pubs and cafes” which in real life would “cost too much”. The Beeb tried to end correspondence with the man but he kept replying with other grievances, highlighting a restaurant kitchen scene which “encouraged bad behaviour” as the characters did not wear hairnets and protesting against the casual disposal of cigarette butts.

The weather is depressing children

One viewer got all riled up about the “unduly depressing” weather reports, adding that such negativity will make the child obesity problem worse because kids won’t want to leave the house. Disappointingly unable to demand eternal sunshine, the BBC passed on this one.

Studio audiences have no rhythm

Contestants and professional dancers during an edition of Strictly Come Dancing. (BBC)

The lack of rhythm demonstrated by the Strictly Come Dancing audience was too much to bear for one musical viewer, who requested that a version “without clapping” be made available on red button for those unable to deal with poor timing. There will be no such option introduced. Other complaints about the show have included the title and the voting system.

Interruptions of the closing music are simply not on

One viewer was annoyed by the BBC’s decision to dip the volume on the closing music played during the final credits of Doctors. He “wished to enjoy it uninterrupted” by the continuity announcer. He was unhappy with the response he received and replied again, demanding that someone “not give him cut and paste ignorance and admit you got it wrong”. It all got very heated but eventually the BBC closed the matter.

The Voice is just one big failure

Tuning out: 'The Voice' is going to the commercial sector in 2017 (BBC)

One much fairer complaint came from a viewer who noted that “the purpose of the show was to ‘showcase possible star quality’ and where none had been found, it should be considered a failure”. Instead, The Voice is moving over to ITV to join a happy “family” with The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent. Groan.

‘I am a Mountain Goat!’

One chap became perturbed after watching BBC comedies Burnistoun and Mountain Goats and deciding the characters must be based on him. He wrote into the Beeb, “giving several details of the similarities he perceived between the characters and himself”.