ITV has been hit with 4,165 Ofcom complaints after Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh called Buckingham Palace’s balcony ‘appallingly white’ – making it the most complained time of the year.
The actress, who was a guest on ITV’s coverage of King Charles III’s coronation, made the comment as the royals stood on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to watch the Red Arrows’ traditional flypast.
Ms Andoh, 60, who plays Lady Agatha Danbury in the Netflix show, said: ‘Looking at all those young people, there’s a part of me that has gone from the rich diversity of the abbey to the horribly white balcony. I was very affected by that.
“I also look at those younger generations and think, ‘What are the nuances they’re going to inhabit as they grow up?'”
Countless people took to Twitter to express their outrage. One commenter called her comments “ridiculous” and tweeted, “How can she get away with that? Every white person should apologize publicly.”
Adjoa Andoh stuns ITV presenters by calling Buckingham Palace balcony ‘terribly white’
Ms Andoh said on Saturday: ‘We went from the rich diversity of the abbey to a horrible white balcony. I was very touched by that’
Ofcom has now received a whopping 4,165 complaints, making it the most complained time of the year.
By comparison, Jeremy Vine’s Channel 5 show got 2,250 complaints after a discussion about young doctors’ pay dispute.
Ms Andoh’s comments sparked a backlash on social media, with one Twitter user asking, “Why is it okay to fire a white family for being white?”
Meanwhile, a second added, “I’m disappointed in Adjoa Andoh. The #Coronation was aimed at promoting positive race relations and representing modern Britain.
“Yesterday there were many people from different backgrounds who held prominent positions, and yet Adjoa chose to discriminate with her divisive remark.
“
A third added, “Why such a horrible #whitebalcony comment?! Horrible.’
Andoh later appeared on BBC Radio 4 to clarify what she meant and apologised.
She said, “I think I upset a few people yesterday.
“I was talking about the day and how great it was and when I looked at the balcony at the end and suddenly thought, ‘Oh, it’s so white!’ for the day had been so mixed and it was not my intention to upset anyone.’
Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh, pictured outside the BBC, insisted she had ‘no intention of upsetting anyone’ after calling Buckingham Palace’s balcony ‘appallingly white’ on coronation day
Andoh (left) stunned her ITV co-stars when she called the Buckingham Palace balcony ‘terribly white’ during their live coverage of the coronation
The actress plays Lady Danbury, pictured left, on the hit TV series Bridgerton
Ms. Andoh made her Hollywood debut in 2009 in Clint Eastwood’s hit movie Invictus alongside Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon
The BBC is also facing backlash over Ms Andoh’s interview with Paddy O’Connell.
Discussing the Netflix star’s interview on the radio show, a Twitter user said: ‘Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh just tried to get back at @bbcradio4, over her comment that Buckingham Palace’s balcony was ‘terribly white’. And then host Paddy O’Connell tells her she doesn’t have to apologize for anything. Please don’t speak for me!’
Numerous commenters then chimed in on the conversation, adding “neither I” and “she needs to apologize.”
One person tweeted that her comments were “outrageous” and caused “division,” while another said, “Paddy O’Connell is an enabler. Where’s the impartiality @BBCRadio4?’
Last year, Love Island was the most complained program of 2022, receiving 2,360 complaints as of July 17 following alleged misogynistic and bullying behavior by some contestants in the villa.
Second place was I’m a Celebrity…. Get me out of here! from November 6-27 where viewers objected to the inclusion of Matt Hancock in the series.
Other notable instances of complaint include 860 complaints against Richard Madeley’s comments about death threats against Keir Starmer on Good Morning Britain.
Another major point of discussion was Gary Neville’s “politicised” comments at the 2022 World Cup Final, which also received 605 complaints.
Ms Andoh, 60, who plays Lady Danbury in Bridgerton, left fellow pundit Myleene Klass – who sat next to her – baffled as she made her comments.
Ms Andoh said she made the comment because Westminster Abbey’s service (pictured) had shown “rich diversity”.
Radio presenter Paddy O’Connell told Adjoa she had ‘not upset anyone’
TV historian Professor David Olusoga warned the monarchy’s future was ‘open to discussion’ and it could be a struggle to modernize
The actress, who plays Dr. Isaacs starred in the psychological thriller Fractured, as well as DI Nina Rosen in BBC’s Silent Witness, has enjoyed a successful career in TV, film and the stage.
She made her Hollywood debut in 2009 in Clint Eastwood’s hit movie Invictus alongside Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon.
Ten years later, she co-directed and played Richard II at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, in the UK’s first production of all women of color in the United Kingdom.
Ms Andoh’s comments come after TV historian Professor David Olusoga warned that the monarchy’s future was “open to debate” and it could be a struggle to modernise.
The University of Manchester professor told the BBC: ‘As a new government formally begins, many questions about the monarchy and its role are up for debate, as always and always has been.
“I think with a thousand-year-old ceremony it’s more difficult to represent that we are one of the most secular nations in the world.
“There’s only so much you can modernize a thousand-year-old ceremony without it ceasing to be that ceremony.”
He added: “I’d like to think he’ll find ways to modernize the royal family, but I think it’s a challenge.”