ITV Chief Defends Controversial Interview by Ed Balls with Wife Yvette Cooper, Vows No Repeat Amid Outcry

ITV executive stands by decision for Ed Balls to interview his spouse Yvette Cooper, although it will not be repeated

Ofcom, the media watchdog, was flooded with over 8,000 complaints after former Labour minister Ed Balls conducted an interview with his wife, the Home Secretary, regarding the recent riots in the UK on Good Morning Britain.

Political correspondent @fayebrownSky

Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 3:

ITV's top executive stood by the decision to let Ed Balls conduct an interview with his spouse, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, but stated it would not be repeated.

Dame Carolyn McCall revealed that the network received minimal advance warning before the high-ranking official appeared on Good Morning Britain, where her partner conducted a tough interview with her regarding the riots happening across the UK.

She described the interview conducted on August 5th, which garnered thousands of grievances, as "fair and impartial," though she mentioned that the format used would not be used again.

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At the RTS London Conference, the head of ITV mentioned, "The morning was extremely challenging. We were on the brink of a national emergency, leading to the home secretary's last-minute appearance on our program."

It appears that Ofcom has decided not to act on these complaints, judging the content to be fair, balanced, and impartial.

"Would we go through it again? No. Was it unbiased, equitable, and even-handed? And was their conduct professional? Yes."

On Tuesday, Ofcom decided not to pursue an investigation into over 8,000 complaints concerning Mr. Balls' questioning of Ms. Cooper, which included some concerns about his interaction with Zarah Sultana, the MP for Coventry South.

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The broadcasting authority noted that the married duo's relationship was clarified on two occasions, various perspectives on Labour's management of the disturbances were presented, and most of the interview was led by co-host Kate Garraway.

Although Ofcom has decided not to take additional action, the regulatory body has issued guidance advising ITV to exercise increased caution regarding the compliance of future interviews.

Learn more: Potential restrictions on MPs for compensated media engagements. Ofcom finds five instances of GB News shows hosted by Conservative MPs in violation of regulations.

Mr. Balls, who previously served as a minister for the Labour Party, has become a frequent presenter on Good Morning Britain

He and Ms. Cooper have shared over 25 years of marriage and have three children.

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Observers expressed confusion over the decision to let him interview his own wife, pointing out that this could compromise the expected neutrality in journalism.

Prior to their discussion, the ex-shadow chancellor expressed that he had "real inquiries" for Ms. Cooper, noting that he had "barely seen her in the past week" amid the recent unrest in the streets.

Ofcom has also decided not to follow up on complaints regarding another segment on the same program featuring Ms. Sultana, a former Labour MP whose party membership was suspended in July.

Her explanation that the riots were specifically Islamophobic, not merely racist, was repeatedly disrupted.

Ofcom stated: "We believe that Ms. Sultana was provided with sufficient opportunity to share her opinions and answer the questions posed to her. Moreover, we think that the strong questioning approach aligns with what habitual viewers anticipate from interviews with political personalities on this show."

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