Emmerdale will not face an investigation over complaints that a storyline about dognapping could inspire copycat crimes, the TV regulator has said.
Ofcom received more than 550 complaints across two episodes of the ITV soap at the end of September in which characters Charity Dingle and Ross Barton plotted to steal a dog and ransom it back to its owner. The plan eventually backfired, with the pair ending up hiding up a climbing frame from a rottweiler.
Viewers complained that the on-screen plot could encourage others to attempt their own dognappings. Charity Dog Theft Action said on Twitter it had written to the programme over the storyline, which it described as “irresponsible”.
Complaint emailed to #emmerdale expressing concerns about the latest storyline on #dogtheft #irresponsible very disappointed
— Dog Theft Action (@DogTheftAction) September 26, 2016
However, Ofcom said that the fact the characters were “clearly not role models” and that the scheme had failed made it unlikely it would encourage copycats.
A spokesman said: “We received a number of complaints about the risk that a storyline involving an attempted theft of a dog could encourage similar behaviour.
“We found that the scenes were not likely to condone or encourage people to attempt dog theft, taking into account the dramatic context and that the characters involved were clearly not role models. It was clear to viewers they were behaving in a morally questionable manner, and the attempt to capture a dog failed.”
The episodes of Emmerdale were broadcast just a month after the soap attracted complaints over a joke some thought would be offensive to the disabled. A scene in which characters Dan Spencer and Nicola King were drinking saw King suggest that Spencer looked “like you’ve got that, what is it? Himi, Hemi, Hemiplegia”, which is the paralysis of one side of the body, usually following a stroke.
Ofcom received 43 complaints about the espisode, but decided not to investigate.
The regulator said at the time: “While the remarks could have had the potential to offend some viewers, after careful assessment we decided that, in the context of the programme, the remarks were not derogatory about people with hemiplegia.”
