ITV 'launches formal investigation into Good Morning Britain' after major blunder

Edinburgh Live

5 hours ago

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ITV has reportedly launched a formal investigation into Good Morning Britain following one 'humiliating blunder too big to ignore' that left viewers furious.
The broadcaster's long-running breakfast programme broadcast a tribute to the victims of one of history's most horrific atrocities on Holocaust Memorial Day earlier this year.
During that broadcast, presenter Ranvir Singh was delivering the report and whilst she mentioned that the six million people murdered in the death camps were 'disabled, gay or belonged to another ethnic group', she failed to clarify that this figure referred exclusively to the Jewish victims, and didn't appear to acknowledge that there were 11 million victims in total.
The programme in question was transmitted on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in January, and it is now understood that the incident has become the focus of a formal inquiry.
A source told The Sun: "Good Morning Britain is a flagship programme for ITV and to allow a blunder like this was too big to simply ignore. They are now investigating how this happened and the top brass want answers. ITV pride themselves on their news coverage but this was lower than sub par.", reports the Mirror.
The insider also revealed that 'the probe will uncover who allowed it to happen and there will be consequences' for those responsible, adding that it 'has been hugely humiliating and is a headache the bosses over at ITV really could do without. ' The Mirror has contacted ITV for a statement regarding the investigation they have initiated.
The gaffe caused widespread fury at the time, with Ranvir, who frequently stands in for Lorraine Kelly on her namesake daytime programme, swiftly issuing an apology for the oversight.
She stated: "In yesterday's news when we reported on the memorial events in Auschwitz, we said six million people were killed in the Holocaust, but crucially failed to say they were Jewish. That was our mistake, for which we apologise."
A programme representative commented: "In our studio introduction to the report on the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz we failed to acknowledge the Jewish community which we have since apologised for live on air in today's programme.
"This failure was done in error, however clear reference to Jewish people in the correspondent news report from Auschwitz immediately followed, as well as a further extended programme report referencing the six million Jewish victims. Yesterday's programme also included a live studio interview with a survivor of Auschwitz, Rachel Levy alongside Olivia Marks-Woldman, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Memorial Trust, both of whom talked candidly about their own experiences as Jewish people."
The clip faced fierce criticism on social media, with one person writing: "Disgusting shameful!" A second added: "This can't be for real?
"This coverage is utterly disgraceful! This history must not be forgotten, nor must it be distorted. The Jews were the victims then - we must make sure that they will never be the victims again," said another.