Loose Women hit with Ofcom complaints after Denise Welch's furious Meghan Markle row

Loose Women's Denise Welch has been hit with more than 100 Ofcom complaints following a heated debate with former press secretary Dickie Arbiter about his criticism of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. On May 6, the regulator received a total of 103 complaints.

The controversy stemmed from a live broadcast where Denise passionately defended Meghan Markle during a discussion with Dickie, who was on air talking about the monarch's cancer battle.

When the conversation shifted to the tense relationship between King Charles and Prince Harry, Denise stepped in to support Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's decision to step back from the Royal Family.

She questioned: "If I may say, do you not think there is a reason why Harry did such a thing?" She then expressed her thoughts on the couple's experiences and the scrutiny they've faced, reports the Express.

She stated: "Then he has a wife who is completely and continually trashed by the media, including your good self. I am just sick to death of the bashing that this woman gets (...) we continually berate this woman every day," she concluded. While some audience members applauded her stance, the debate triggered a wave of complaints.

Host Coleen Nolan attempted to defuse the tension, reminding Denise that a "debate" wasn't anticipated in the studio, as Dickie suggested she might be influenced by "too many tabloids". Denise firmly responded: "Don't disrespect me."

Despite this, Denise's frustration escalated as she declared: "Don't have a guest on (...) I can say what I like!" Addressing a social media user who had incorrectly spelled Julian Clary's name while comparing her to him, Denise corrected the fan.

Dickie had pointed out that the Sussexes faced criticism for their decision to step back from the Royal Family, but Denise argued it was a clear choice given they left "a country that hated them".