The BBC’s wall-to-wall coverage of the Queen’s death has avoided the mass of complaints that accompanied its output when Prince Philip died, although broadcasters are edging back towards normal schedules as viewing figures start to dip.
Internal BBC complaints data show it received about 670 objections from people who felt last Thursday’s coverage of the Queen’s death was excessive, compared with the 100,000 who objected to its output to mark her husband dying. Sources suggested the number had increased in recent days but remained relatively low, with a formal tally due to be published later this week.
Instead, other small aspects of the BBC’s coverage have attracted the attention of the public. More than 100 people complained that two journalists in the newsroom could be seen standing behind Huw Edwards as the presenter announced the death of the monarch on Thursday night.
One viewer said: “It was beyond offensive to see two young women in the BBC newsroom standing up and filming Huw Edwards on their phones while he made the momentous announcement of the death of the Queen … what sort of disrespect and immature stupidity do you cultivate in the newsroom.”
And in a reversal of the complaints the BBC received when the former newsreader Peter Sissons announced the death of the Queen Mother wearing a burgundy tie, this time around some of the complaints were about Edwards wearing a black tie for several hours before the monarch’s death was officially announced.
Viewing figures have started to fall from the enormous numbers tuning in for last week’s announcement of the death. That attracted a combined television audience of 16 million – the vast majority watching the BBC. By comparison, the BBC One audience for the formal proclamation of King Charles on Saturday morning peaked at 6 million viewers.
While BBC One remains heavily focussed on rolling royal news coverage, EastEnders has been allowed back on to the channel in a later time slot. ITV is continuing to dedicate its daytime programming to rolling coverage but has brought back more of its normal evening viewing. Commercial television stations have also reintroduced adverts, with Channel 4 and Channel 5 largely sticking to their usual programming. Sky News consistently attracting more than 300,000 viewers on Sunday – well above its ordinary level.
The viewing figures buck the broader decline in television audiences, backing up the principle that the public will still switch on broadcasts for major events – although growing numbers are using streaming services such as the BBC’s iPlayer, which are not immediately counted in official viewing figures.
Broadcasters now have to prepare for next Monday’s funeral, which will be attended by heads of state from around the world. Declared a public holiday, the funeral is expected to attract one of the biggest television audiences of the year. This has led to jockeying among reporters who wanted to be included in the coverage – and sadness among those excluded, such as Andrew Marr who was cut from a BBC documentary he had made before leaving the broadcaster.
