‘Loose Women’ has been cleared by Ofcom over their treatment of Kim Woodburn following an investigation after the regulator received almost 8,000 complaints.
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The broadcast regulator stepped in to investigate the show after receiving 7,912 complaints following a row between the ‘How Clean Is Your House’ star and her ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ housemate, and regular panelist, Coleen Nolan on an episode broadcast last August.
In response, Ofcom ruled on the accusations of bullying in a Broadcast and On Demand bulletin published on Monday (25.02.19).
They said:
“While there was some support for Ms Nolan, the majority of complainants said that the panel humiliated Ms Woodburn and caused her unnecessary distress.”
However, the regulator decided the show had not breached broadcasting standards because it
“rejected the suggestion that the treatment of Ms Woodburn by Ms Nolan or the panel amounted to bullying”.
The report continued:
“The production team were concerned to ensure that Ms Nolan and Ms Woodburn fully understood the proposed format and that both were content with the subject under discussion and a possible reconciliation.
“ITV stressed that it certainly did not intend the discussion to end in acrimony and that both women in pre-broadcast research calls and briefings indicated that they were willing to resolve their difference.”
Following the argument, Kim called for Coleen to be fired from the show and branded in “cruel” entertainment.
She said at the time:
“I was ambushed, it was disgusting. It was like a circus and I was there for some cruel entertainment. I want Coleen and her sister fired. They could have stopped that show. The one who had the ear mic could have stopped it, but they did nothing to curb it.
“I was shown cruelty again by that woman. I’m embarrassed once again. And I’ve cried on TV once again. I do go at people if they go for me. I hope I never live to see the day when a human being in her 50s and her sister could mock a lady sobbing on TV.”
The Nolan Sisters singer went on to take a three-month break from the programme after receiving death threats and cruel messages from Twitter trolls.