Entertainmentupdated 32m ago2 min read
BBC Confirms Complaints Over Celebrity Traitors Winners’ Refugee Charity Choices
“Critics argued licence fee funds shouldn't reach groups that take a side on contested policy issues.”
“He has previously spoken about why he backs Choose Love, including its work to secure futures for LGBTQIA+ refugees.”
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BBC confirms formal viewer complaints about Celebrity Traitors winners' charity selections. Romesh Ranganathan donated his £41,500 share to the Refugee Council; Croft to Choose Love.
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BBC confirms complaints
The BBC confirmed it received official complaints from viewers about the charities chosen by Celebrity Traitors winners Romesh Ranganathan and Sebastian Croft. The BBC said, "We recognise that some audience members were unhappy with the charities chosen by the winning celebrities," and it added that "This feedback has been shared with the relevant parties." The Daily Mail said the winners split an £83,000 prize pot, with Ranganathan donating £41,500 to the Refugee Council and Croft giving £41,500 to Choose Love.
The BBC’s complaints update did not say whether it would take further action, and it did not uphold a complaint or announce any change to the programme or the donations. The BBC’s response was published as an entry on its complaints site dated 11 November, and it was titled "The Celebrity Traitors, winners' chosen charities, BBC One, 30th October 2026."
Winners defend the choices
Romesh Ranganathan told Croft on the Sunday Scaries podcast that he chose the Refugee Council after becoming "so fed up with the rhetoric against refugees". Ranganathan said his view was that refugees were used as a "distraction tactic" and that people were being pointed in that direction for something to blame. Sebastian Croft said the backlash changed the way he viewed the moment, telling listeners, "It felt like such a nice moment at the time, but then to see the response".
Croft added that the reaction showed "people's response to a game show donating money to really vulnerable people," and he said it was "Imagine how difficult it is for those people navigating that system." The BBC’s complaints response acknowledged audience unhappiness but did not question the winners’ right to choose their charities, and it said it does not respond publicly to every complaint it answers.
Charities and political scrutiny
Choose Love acting chief executive Emma Stevenson said the donation would "quite literally change and save lives" and that it would allow the charity to extend "critical support to refugees and displaced people". Refugee Council chief executive Katie Ghose praised Ranganathan as a "brilliant champion" and said his support would help the charity provide "vital frontline services" to refugees and people in the asylum system. The BBC’s complaints update did not state how many complaints were received, and it treated the published response as an acknowledgement that viewers were unhappy rather than a ruling that editorial standards were breached.
The Daily Mail said the charity backlash included scrutiny of Choose Love, which it described as having recently accused Israel of 'genocide' in its war onHamas in Gaza. GB News’ Alex Armstrong questioned why neither winner chose causes supporting British people, homeless individuals, cancer patients or veterans, while Conservative MP Jack Rankin argued that licence fee funds should not reach groups that take a side on contested policy issues.