Yahoo News 9 of the strangest and funniest official TV complaints
Traditionally, the customer is always right – but this rule probably shouldn't be applied in the world of TV. Honestly, you would not believe some of the complaints Ofcom has to deal with.
Fair enough, if a presenter has made a joke in seriously bad taste or if the wrong information has been given in a news broadcast, that's totally acceptable. But some of the things angry viewers write in about are bizarre. In fact, they're so bonkers, we decided to catalogue them here.
Here are some of the absolute best and funniest complaints that real (and slightly strange) people have written in about.
1. "Out of time" clapping on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly has been the subject of a number of wacky complaints that would make your eyes roll. Apparently, one viewer wrote in to the Beeb to ask for audiences' applause to be edited out of episodes because it could often be out of time.
2. The use of the word "Strictly" in Strictly Come Dancing
According to one viewer, the fun-filled nature of the show – and presumably the hilarious Ed Balls – makes "Strictly" an inaccurate description of what we see on screen.
Not a fan of Strictly Ballroom, presumably.
3. Too many twists and turns in EastEnders
Beeb bosses have also upset EastEnders viewers in the past. Two years ago, four different fans voiced their anger and suggested they had been misled over the "Who killed Lucy Beale?" storyline.
Apparently Bobby Beale was too much of a surprise – but isn't that the point of a good whodunnit?
4. Simon Cowell's use of "black magic"
From the questionable to the outright bizarre, could Simon Cowell be this generation's best TV hypnotist? Ofcom considered and rejected a complaint that genuinely claimed the X Factor head honcho used "hypnotic and other techniques" in 2015.
Now, cluck like a chicken.
5. The weather forecast causing childhood obesity
In the immortal words of B*Witched, blame it on the weatherman. Or, you know, don't – because they don't actually control whether it's a gloriously sunny day or pouring down with rain.
However, that hasn't stopped some viewers. One said the Beeb's report was "depressing the children" and would keep them stuck inside.
6. Pointless theft
Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osmon's hit show Pointless hasn't avoided the ire of angry viewers. On one occasion, an episode wasn't broadcast because one of the questions asked related to events that subsequently became topical and inappropriate.
But fans didn't believe this excuse and started conjuring up some rather interesting conspiracy theories. One viewer suggested the BBC was guilty of theft – not believing the money won went to contestants – and another insisted they would be permanently boycotting the show.
7. Apparently, this PayPal ad destroyed Christmas
Maybe you remember the moment PayPal ruined Christmas? The company's advert upset a LOT of people when it basically said that Santa Claus isn't real. While any reasonable person knows that this is obviously total rubbish because of course he is, the ad showed two children panicking in December that they wouldn't get any presents.
However, their dad used PayPal so everything was fine. This created the impression that it was the parents who bought the presents rather than Papa Crimbo himself, which isn't on.
The apparently offensive ad actually had to be moved to a later time slot because of the outcry.
8. Bart Simpson is in "sexual agony", according to some
Disclaimer: this one is a bit weird. In 2010, The Simpsons aired a scene in which Lisa kicked her brother Bart in the crotch. So far, nothing too unexpected or untoward, especially from a cartoon that gave us Itchy and Scratchy.
However, Ofcom still received complaints from viewers claiming Bart was left in "sexual agony". Erm, no. Just no. Leave The Simpsons alone and stop making everything weird. Thank you.
9. EastEnders characters spending too much time at the pub
Back to EastEnders, and issues of realism on a soap that has brought people back from the dead.
It was something much more ordinary that upset one particularly dedicated Walford fan, who watched a few episodes back to back and decided the characters spent far too much time in the pub or café.
He decided this was too unrealistic because to do this in real life would "cost too much".
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