Channel 5 was advised 'not to run' royal series despite high ratings
Channel 5 was told to steer clear of broadcasting a television programme about the Royal Family, it has emerged.
The broadcaster has screened numerous detailed programmes about the Royals through the years, ranging from documentaries examining Royal residences to shows exploring Zara and Mike Tindall, alongside Prince Edward.
Programmes including Secrets of the Royals and Lip-Reading the Royals: The Secret Conversations have offered viewers an insider's glimpse into behind-the-scenes activities, yet there was one television programme that nearly didn't make it to air.
Ben Frow, Channel 5's Director of Programming, disclosed that he approached the King and Queen 's communications officer to discuss whether he could provide information for a TV show
During a question and answer segment at the Edinburgh TV festival, Ben explained that he had been transparent about the "fantastic numbers" that certain controversial Royals, such as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, achieve for Channel 5.
"I fessed up and I said, 'Look, Andrew, Harry, and Meghan still deliver fantastic numbers for us'," Ben informed the Mirror and other media outlets.
"I made my position clear [about Harry and Meghan] and they didn't say don't do anything, but in an email a couple of weeks later, he said, 'I'd rather you didn't'."
He went on to reveal that the communications officer shot down his request for inside information, reports Gloucestershire Live.
Ben continued: "It was about Royal Service, and we asked him if he could help us get something on the Royal Family, and he said, 'It's not in my job description'."
Harry and Meghan have long been a topic of debate among the public, particularly since their decision to step down as senior royals in 2020 and move to the US.
The duo have ventured into reality TV with their Netflix series Harry and Meghan, but they've also been the subject of numerous documentaries, including Channel 5's Harry and Meghan: What Next? and Meghan and Harry: The Rise and Fall.
However, they're not the only contentious figures in the Royal Family. Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, the younger brother of King Charles III, has also proven to be divisive over recent years
This has led to him being the centre of attention in TV shows as well, such as Channel 5's Prince Andrew: Where Did All The Money Go? and Andrew & Fergie's: Unconventional Relationship.
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