Ofcom is investigating ‘Coronation Street’ over gang rape scenes that were aired on a Saturday morning, when the soap was repeated on ITV2.
The Bethany Platt scenes were initially shown on ITV1 in the closing week of May, when the show moved to the later 9pm slot, before being repeated at the much earlier time of 8:50AM.
And while the episode’s initial airing isn’t under investigation, Ofcom are looking into whether the scenes were suitable for broadcast as part of the ITV2 morning omnibus.
An Ofcom spokesperson said (via the BBC): “We’re investigating whether this Saturday morning omnibus episode contained scenes that were unsuitable for broadcast at that time.”
A total of five complaints were initially made about the episode and - in line with standard procedure - these were then assessed by the broadcasting watchdog.
While this is the first time the storyline has led to an Ofcom investigation, Bethany’s ordeal has sparked a number of complaints on previous occasions.
Back in March, Ofcom explained why scenes featuring abuser Nathan Curtis plying the 16-year-old with alcohol would not be subject to scrutiny.
“We concluded the content was neither graphic nor violent, and took into account Coronation Street’s established role in covering challenging or distressing social issues,” they said in a statement.
Catch up on all the latest soap news and spoilers here.
