The ITV chat-show Lorraine has received just shy of 4,000 Ofcom complaints after incorrectly referencing the amount of unvaccinated Covid-19 patients in hospital.
The independent media regulatory agency - which handles complaints UK television and radio shows - received a total of 3,833 from disgruntled viewers after the broadcast on Monday 6 December last year.
During the early-morning episode in question, which saw the Glaswegian host and Dr Hilary Jones discussing Covid-19 vaccinations rates, the health expert asserted that 90% of people in hospital at the time had not yet received their vaccine.
Speaking on the show, Dr Hilary said: "Those people who haven't been vaccinated, we'd really love you to think again and be vaccinated."
Lorraine quickly replied: "That's a figure that we have to really concentrate on, 90% of people in hospital have not been vaccinated."
Spandau Ballet star and actor Martin Kemp also appeared later on in the show, repeating the same figure of 90% of unvaccinated people in hospitals as he urged viewers to get the vaccine.
Numerous viewers took to Twitter to express their angst surrounding the false statistics as they corrected the TV doctor online.
One user wrote: "A figure to focus on because it's factually incorrect from @DrHilaryJones. '36% of Covid patients in hospital are unvaccinated not 90%'."
They then attached data from the UK Health Security Agency, stating that it publishes weekly vaccination statuses of cases, admissions and deaths.
Another outraged viewer tweeted: "So the big question is, why are these people on TV and in the media continually lying?"
The information described by Dr Hilary and Lorraine was quickly proven to be incorrect, with Ofcom now having issued a strong warning to the producers of the daytime show.
Despite having confirmed that they will not be launching a formal investigation into the complaints, representatives from the regulators have said: "This programme incorrectly referenced the proportion of unvaccinated Covid-19 patients in hospital.
"We have told ITV that greater care should be taken by trusted medical experts when presenting facts and figures on public health issues.
"However, given official statistics and research have consistently shown that vaccination against Covid-19 offers greater protection against serious health consequences, we do not consider that the error was sufficient to materially mislead viewers on this main point of discussion."
Later on the controversial episode, host Lorraine issued an apology for the confusion, claiming: "Dr Hilary said that 90% of patients with Covid in hospital were unvaccinated.
"We should say that this is 90% of people who are very seriously ill and are receiving the most specialist care."
