The BBC has dismissed a deluge of complaints it received following the death of Prince Philip on Friday after it switched its usual schedule across most TV channels and radio stations to rolling tributes to the royal.
The Guardian on Tuesday reported that a record number of people in the U.K. had complained directly to the BBC over the public broadcaster’s coverage, with more than 110,000 voicing their disapproval (so many that the broadcaster created a dedicated form to speed up the process).
Responding to the complaints on Thursday, the BBC acknowledged that “some viewers” were unhappy with the coverage, but said that the changes were made following “careful consideration.”
“The passing of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was a significant event which generated a lot of interest both nationally and internationally,” it said in statement.
“We acknowledge some viewers were unhappy with the level of coverage given, and impact this had on the billed TV and Radio schedules. We do not make such changes without careful consideration and the decisions made reflect the role the BBC plays as the national broadcaster, during moments of national significance. We are grateful for all feedback, and we always listen to the response from our audiences.”
On Thursday, the BBC also revealed that it is set to devote four hours of its schedule on BBC 1 this Saturday to live coverage of Philip’s funeral.
