Coronation Street has been revealed as the most complained about show on British TV for showing smoking, drinking and drug use.
According to a report presented to Parliament by the Action on Smoking and Health group, 68% of 11-15 year olds and 77% of 16-18 year olds said they’ve seen smoking on TV.
Studies from both the National Cancer Institute and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have shown links between smoking imagery and young people taking up smoking.
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Hundreds of people have complained to the broadcast regulator Ofcom about smoking, drinking and drug use being shown on TV.
And a Freedom of Information request by Vape Club has shown which shows have received the most complaints over the past five years.
Love Island, Emmerdale and This Morning have also been hit by complaints around the same issue.
These are the five British TV programmes that have attracted the most complaints for encouraging smoking, drinking or drug use in the last five years.
5. Celebrity Big Brother - 21 complaints
After being evicted from the final series of Celebrity Big Brother in series 18, reality TV star Natalie Nunn revealed that drunk contestants often behaved so badly that producers withheld alcohol from them.
4. This Morning - 25 complaints
This Morning is no stranger to controversy, having been criticised for everything from vaccine opinions to drinking horse’s milk on live TV.
But This Morning has also drawn 25 complaints over its depictions of adult habits like smoking and drinking.
3. Emmerdale - 52 complaints
In 2013, Emmerdale’s Eric Pollard (played by Christ Chittell) was named the unhealthiest character in UK soaps.
It was found that he was either drinking or talking about drinking in 62% of his scenes.
Having received 52 complaints in the last five years, it’s clear that some viewers still believe Emmerdale glamorises smoking and drinking too much.
2. Love Island - 73 complaints
Notorious for its scenes of excess and debauchery, Love Island is one of the UK’s most-watched TV programmes.
And with its young audience in mind, and after a raft of complaints, the programme has now banned smoking.
Prior to the ban, contestants who smoked were given 20 cigarettes a day, according to one contestant.
Viewers pointed out that they could see eight packets of cigarettes on a table during one episode in 2017.
1. Coronation Street - 310 complaints
The world’s longest-running soap opera has received by far the most complaints about depictions of smoking, drinking and drug use.
Many scenes centre around the Rovers Return Inn, accounting for the amount of alcohol on show.
However the programme’s makers also found themselves under fire after Coronation Street’s local shop showed cigarettes on display, after real supermarkets had been banned from displaying them.
