ITV has been mocked for their "ridiculous" decision to place a trigger warning on a 20-year-old episode of their hit series Midsomer Murders, as the broadcaster was warned of the "dangers" of adding such disclaimers.
ITVX, the company's streaming service, warned viewers of the 2004 episode The Fisher King that it contains "several references to witchcraft".
In the episode of the much-loved crime drama, which first graced British screens in 1997, residents of a fictional English town are plagued by a haunted Celtic sword, which was uncovered during an archaeological dig.
Reacting to the decision on GB News, Director of the Popular Conservatives Mark Littlewood said the move by the broadcaster is "risible", questioning who the trigger warning is meant to inform.
Mark Littlewood has hit out at ITV's decision to add a trigger warning to a 20-year-old episode of Midsomer Murders
ITV / GB News
Littlewood fumed: "It's risible, this is ludicrous. Who is this warning supposed to inform? Who's it supposed to protect? I literally can't think of a single human being who would find that warning useful.
"Is it that the witch community or the wizard community might tune in to a particular episode of Midsomer Murders, click it on their on stream servicing and think, oh no, wait, I don't think I want to watch this one, it could be way too offensive?"
Admitting that he is "not opposed" to many other trigger warnings on media, Littlewood expressed his concern for the over-saturation of such cautions, warning it may become too "patronising".
Littlewood explained: "I'm not against all warnings, I think sometimes they can send a general signal - is something family viewing or is it graphic violence with an 18 certificate?
ITV have added a 'witchcraft' trigger warning to an episode of the show which first aired in 2004
GB News
"But I'm afraid I think what we've got into here is a concern or a worry on virtually everything that is broadcast that someone, somewhere might take offence.
"That everybody is vulnerable and may be disturbed and that's ridiculous, it's patronising, and it's potentially quite dangerous."
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Concluding his argument, Littlewood affirmed that broadcasters should "assume most viewers are resilient and open-minded", not "terrified and running away from a particular episode of Midsomer Murders because it features a witch".
Offering her verdict on the warning, journalist Yvette Caster defended the use of trigger warnings on media and questioned "why people are upset by them".
Caster argued: "My feeling around trigger warnings and warnings on programs in general is really, what's the harm?
"I'd liken it to, for example, I don't have a nut allergy, but I don't get upset by there being warnings on all types of foods saying this contains nuts or this might contain nuts, because for some people it might genuinely be harmful to them, or it might potentially be unpleasant or unwarranted."
Mark Littlewood said the move is 'ridiculous' and warned of the 'dangerous' trend of adding trigger warnings
GB News
Caster continued: "It's only a few words - if you're not personally affected by it, you'll just notice it and then you'll move on. I don't see why anyone would get really upset about there being a warning."
Host Stephen Dixon interjected, arguing that it "feeds the narrative" of viewers being "so easily offended" by past media.
Caster disagreed, responding: "If we're discussing trigger warnings as a whole, for example, programs where there might be a depiction of rape or sexual violence, you have to think about the fact that 1 in 30 women have been sexually abused or raped.
"So it would be a good idea, I believe, to have a warning on that, because they might not want to see that depiction."
