The BBC reportedly received a record-breaking 100,000 complaints about its coverage of the death of Prince Philip.
The wave of complaints was first reported by The Sun in the United Kingdom. The BBC declined to confirm the number on Monday but said that figures on the number of complaints will be included in a bulletin set to be released on Thursday.
“We are proud of our coverage and the role we play during moments of national significance,” the BBC said Monday.
Buckingham Palace announced on Friday that Philip died “peacefully” at Windsor Castle, where he and Queen Elizabeth II spent much of the last year amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The British broadcaster cleared its lineup to cover the death of the prince last week, including interrupting the popular programs “EastEnders” and “MasterChef.”
The BBC did confirm that 100,000 complaints from viewers would make the coverage of Philip’s death the most complained-about programming choice in its history. The news service said that spot currently belongs to its broadcast of “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” which received 63,000 complaints in 2005.
It also noted that other major British broadcasters, including both ITV and Channel 4, prioritized “extended news coverage” of Philip’s death.
Philip’s funeral is scheduled for Saturday. Just 30 people will be allowed to attend the memorial due to the pandemic, but it will be televised.
Prince Charles paid tribute to his father on Saturday, sharing that he was a “very special person.”
“I particularly wanted to say that my father over the last 70 years has given the most remarkable devoted service to the queen, to my family and to the country,” he said. “And as you can imagine, my family and I miss my father enormously. He was a much-loved and appreciated figure.”