Gregg Wallace’s controversial ‘human flesh’ mockumentary has already raked up a slew of Ofcom complaints since it aired on Channel 4, with hundreds expressing outrage.
Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle flesh aired on the channel on Monday night, in which the MasterChef judge claimed to have visited a ‘human flesh’ plant in Lincolnshire.
The insane idea was that, as the nation’s cost of living problem worsened, ‘human meat’ – collected from ‘thin slices of human tissue’ in a ‘nutrient rich combination’ – was less expensive than animal alternatives.
Anyone who tuned in to watch the show soon realised that it was a satire, with a Channel 4 spokesperson stressing that it was a ‘witty yet thought-provoking commentary on the extreme measures many people are being forced to take to stay afloat in our society during the cost of living crisis’.
They added: ‘Channel 4 has a long and rich history of satire and has often used humour as an accessible way to highlight society’s most important issues.’
While some have supported the documentary, hailing Gregg for his involvement, others have lambasted the way in which it conveyed its message, with hundreds submitting official complaints to Ofcom.
The media watchdog admitted receiving 408 complaints about the Miracle Meat mockumentary, stating on its website that “the number of complaints received is not an indication of how severe a problem is,” and that “all complaints are examined under the Broadcasting Code.”
When Ofcom releases complaints on a Wednesday, they include complaints submitted up to the following Monday.
That implies that the 408 complaints received by Ofcom against the mockumentary were lodged on the same day it broadcast… That implies there might be even more by next Wednesday.
Gregg has since spoken out in defence of his programme, having issued a cheeky response on social media to the backlash.
Writing in an article for The Sun, he said: ‘While it was a complete fantasy, we wanted to raise important questions about the nation’s relationship with food and what those struggling with the cost of living are being asked to do in order to stay afloat.
‘While it was a pure fiction, we wanted to highlight crucial concerns about the nation’s connection with food and what individuals struggling with the expense of living are being expected to do in order to remain afloat,’ he said in a piece for The Sun.
Writing in an article for The Sun, he said: ‘While it was a complete fantasy, we wanted to raise important questions about the nation’s relationship with food and what those struggling with the cost of living are being asked to do in order to stay afloat.
‘The programme makers consulted with experts to make sure what we were saying reflected what is actually happening and didn’t wander into the realms of science fiction.’
He concluded by adding: ‘If we don’t start to tackle the cost of food and eat more healthily, then this programme — and the prospect of human meat on the menu — might not seem so far-fetched after all.’
Gregg Wallace: The British Miracle Meat is available to stream on demand on Channel 4.
