BBC defends ‘excessive’ coverage of Harry and Meghan doc after complaints soar

2022-12-11

The BBC has defended its "excessive" coverage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Netflix documentary, after complaints from viewers continued to soar.

The first three episodes of docu-series Harry & Meghan launched on streaming service Netflix on December 8, 2022, and provided viewers with a closer look inside their private lives.

However, BBC viewers took to social media to complain that the broadcaster was focusing too much on the documentary, with one saying on Twitter: "Why are the BBC forcing this ridiculous coverage of Meghan and Harry?"

READ MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan drop more Netflix footage as they share unusual first dance song

A second agreed, adding: "Think the BBC is giving too much coverage to Harry and Meghan’s Netflix series. Got nothing against them but enough is enough."

Meanwhile, a third commented: "I think 3 notifications about the Harry and Meghan show is a tad excessive, BBC News."

Following a rise in complaints, the BBC has released a statement to defend its reporting of the documentary, saying that the broadcaster's reporting has been "proportional and duly impartial."

The statement read: "The Netflix series Harry & Meghan has been widely anticipated, with speculation as to what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may say about their experiences within the Royal Family, what this may mean for family relations and how this could affect perceptions of the Royal Family.

"Prior to the series being released, the trailers issued by Netflix were an indication of the issues which would be discussed.

"In this context, we broadcast clips of these trailers, which were clearly labelled, as part of our analysis.

"Our reporting has also reflected allegations that footage and photos used within the trailers were misleading."

It concluded: "While this may not be a story of interest to everyone, we believe our coverage has been proportionate and duly impartial, reflecting public interest."

Independent ratings body Barb has since revealed that 2.4m people watched Harry & Meghan on the day of its launch, with the series proving more popular than The Crown series 5.

By comparison, The Crown only received 1.1m viewers on its first day of release.

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