Thousands complain to Ofcom after Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh describes Buckingham Palace balcony 'terribly white'
10 May 2023, 12:59
Thousands of complaints have been sent to Ofcom after Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh described the post-Coronation scene on Buckingham Palace's balcony as "terribly white".
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Ms Andoh, who plays Lady Danbury in the hit Netflix period show, was covering King Charles's crowning for ITV when she made the comments that sparked a backlash online.
"We've gone from the rich diversity of the abbey to a terribly white balcony," she said.
It has led to Ofcom being handed 4,165 complaints since Saturday - the most complained about TV moment so far in 2023.
Fellow pundit Myleene Klass – who was sitting next to the star – appeared visibly baffled following the actor's comments.
"I was very struck by that," Ms Andoh continued.
She later added: "I am also looking at those younger generations and thinking, 'What are the nuances that they will inhabit when they grow?'"
The actress later clarified: "I was talking about the day and how marvellous it was and then looking at the balcony at the end and suddenly going: 'Oh it's so white!' because the day had been so mixed and I didn't mean to upset anybody."
But the string of complaints far outstrips the 2,250 given to Jeremy Vine's show over a junior doctor pay debate on Channel 5.
While viewers slammed Ms Andoh's observation of the balcony moment - where King Charles, Queen Camilla and other royals waved to crowds during a flypast - others have backed her.
Author and activist Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu said: "#AdjoaAndoh told no lies in factual observation of ‘terribly White’ (literal & symbolic) Buckingham palace balcony at #Coronation in contrast to tokenism of race diversity at Westminster Abbey & got branded 'racist'.
"White people false equivalence of racism is laughable. For me it's the lack of critical thinking re why the contrast is terrible as she rightly points out.
"Even if Adjoa Andoh spent 99.99% on TV adulating King Charles & British Monarchy, that one observation of White Balcony erases it because for racists she doesn’t know her place."
