‘Terribly white balcony’ remark by Bridgerton actress sparks 4,200 complaints
A TELEVISED comment by Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh about the Buckingham Palace balcony being too white has become the most complained about moment of 2023 so far, Ofcom has said.
Almost 4,200 complaints have been filed about the remark, which was made when the actress, 60, appeared on ITV’s live coverage of Saturday’s coronation celebrations.
Ms Andoh plays Lady Agatha Danbury in the Netflix show which centres around a fictionalised London high society set in the Regency period.
Commenting during the Coronation, she said: “Looking at all those young people, there is a bit of me that has gone from the rich diversity of the Abbey to the terribly white balcony. I’m very struck by that.”
She later appeared on BBC Radio
4 to clarify what she meant and to apologise for remarking on the moment Charles and Camilla appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace to wave at the public with their family.
The former Casualty and EastEnders star acknowledged the backlash she received after appearing as a pundit. Ms Andoh told radio host Paddy O’Connell: “I think I upset a few people.
“I was talking about the day and how marvellous it was and then looking at the balcony at the end and suddenly went, ‘Oh, it’s so white’ because the day had been so, so mixed and I didn’t mean to upset anybody.”
On Wednesday, UK regulator Ofcom said the comment received 4,165 complaints, making it the most complained about moment of the year. A spokesperson said: “We are assessing the complaints against our broadcasting rules before deciding whether or not to investigate.”
The King’s Coronation service at Westminster Abbey was watched by 18.8 million viewers in the UK across 11 channels and services, according to initial overnight ratings released by the research organisation Barb.
ITV declined to comment last night.