In the age of Sky Plus, the Internet and social media, a number of people still manage to get upset over breaking news bulletins interrupting their television schedule.
The BBC has received 850 complaints from viewers who were upset that Thursday’s episode of Mrs Brown’s Boys was interrupted by the news bulletin on Nelson Mandela’s death, even though the programme was actually a repeat.
The British broadcaster is standing by its decision to interrupt the programme to report the death of the former South African president.
BBC News Director, James Harding, issued an apology to viewers, however stated that word of Mandela’s passing was of “singular significance”.
Harding told BBC’s Newswatch: “The importance of his life and marking his death seems extremely clear to us.”
In 1990 the broadcasting company received 500 complaints when an episode of Antiques Roadshow was interrupted by a bulletin that detailed Nelson Mandela's release from prison.
2.8 million viewers tuned in to watch the repeat episode of Brendan O' Carroll's hit show, with viewers increasing to 5.1 million after the BBC One’s news bulletin at 10 O' Clock.
