‘Britain’s Got Talent’ has been hit with a further 1,675 Ofcom complaints after Alesha Dixon wore a Black Lives Matter necklace on Saturday’s (19.09.20) show.
The communications regulator recently received more than 24,500 complaints – the most in a decade – following Diversity’s BLM-inspired dance routine earlier this month, and now nearly 1,700 have complained about the programme after ‘BGT’ judge Alesha wore a gold necklace, which had the initials BLM.
According to The Sun Online, a spokesperson for Ofcom said the majority of complaints were due to the singer’s jewellery.
They said: "We are assessing these complaints against our broadcasting rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate."
Last week, Ofcom confirmed they will not be investigating Diversity’s powerful performance on ‘Britain’s Got Talent’, in which the dance troupe narrated the death of George Floyd, among other recent events.
They said in a statement: "We carefully considered a large number of complaints about this artistic routine, an area where freedom of expression is particularly important.
"Diversity’s performance referred to challenging and potentially controversial subjects, and in our view, its central message was a call for social cohesion and unity.
"Any depictions of violence by the performers were highly stylised and symbolic of recent global events, and there was no explicit reference to any particular political organisation – but rather a message that the lives of black people matter.
"We will not be taking this case on to formal investigation."
Their decision came after ITV backed Diversity over the backlash, and insisted the performance was an "authentic, heartfelt response to many of the issues and events which have affected society in 2020".
In a statement published on their website, an ITV spokesman said: "’Britain’s Got Talent’ has always been an inclusive show, which showcases diversity and supports strong storytelling in all forms and ITV stands behind the decision to broadcast Diversity’s performance on ‘BGT’.
"Ashley and the group are a great example of the talent, creativity and diversity of modern Britain and their performance was an authentic, heartfelt response to many of the issues and events which have affected society in 2020."