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'Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow' hit with complaints over 'lack of diversity'

Alan Carr’s Epic Gameshow has sparked almost 200 complaints after some viewers said having an all-Black panel of contestants showed a “lack of diversity”.

Saturday’s (1 May) episode of the ITV series saw six Black contestants competing in a rebooted version of Michael Barrymore’s Strike It Lucky.

The line-up triggered something of a debate on social media and broadcasting watchdog Ofcom has now confirmed in its weekly report that it received 190 complaints about the episode.

Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow: SR2: Ep5: Strike It Lucky on ITV

Pictured: Rochelle and Rosie, Alan Carr, Natasha and Natalie and Craig and Jamie.

(Talkback)
Alan Carr hosts 'Epic Gameshow'. (Talkback)

Epic Gameshow is hosted by comedian Carr and features reworked versions of old quiz shows.

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After Saturday’s episode, many viewers took to social media to express their thoughts on the panel.

Alan Carr's Epic Gameshow: SR2: Ep5: Strike It Lucky on ITV

Pictured: Alan Carr, Rochelle and Rosie, Natasha and Natalie and Craig and Jamie.

(Talkback)
The episode sparked complaints to Ofcom. (Talkback)

“With all the diversity issues around at the moment are we really allowed to have 6 black contestants? No other ethnic groups or white contestants. Very discriminatory!” one person posted on Twitter.

“You call this diversity? Have you looked that word up in the dictionary? What I saw tonight certainly wasn't diversity,” said another.

However, others defended the programme.

EDITORIAL USE ONLY Alan Carr during filming for the Graham Norton Show at BBC Studioworks 6 Television Centre, Wood Lane, London, to be aired on BBC One on Friday evening. Picture date: Thursday February 4, 2021.
Alan Carr's series features rebooted versions of old game shows. (PA)

One tweeted: “What? Why are people complaining about a black family being on Alan Carr’s game show? Not everyone’s white in this world. Also, IT. IS. A. GAME. SHOW. Why should it even matter?”

“I noticed that every contestant on #EpicGameshow was black,” said another person on Twitter.

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"I noticed because it doesn't happen a lot, if ever. Didn't think anything of it, didn't care, didn't think about it again. Now seeing the response it got on here, I think it needs to happen more often to normalise it.”

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