Britain's Got Talent: Ofcom could investigate 'doggy stunt double'
Ofcom is to decide whether or not to investigate talent show Britain's Got Talent, after the broadcasting watchdog received hundreds of complaints when it emerged champion Jules O'Dwyer used a stunt dog for the winning skit.
Since the revelations, the show's producers have apologised for not making it clearer to viewers and judges that a lookalike doggy-double was used to walk the parallel ropes.
Hundreds of angry fans bombarded Ofcom with complaints and now it will decide whether or not to investigate.
A spokesman said:
O'Dwyer told ITV show Lorraine that she was "shocked and surprised" by the reaction of viewers.
The guide dog trainer, who beat Welsh choir Cor Glanaethwy and magician Jamie Raven to the £250,000 prize with a sketch involving a tightrope and stolen sausages, said that she had not used Matisse because he did not like heights.
Their prize includes a spot at this year's Royal Variety Performance.More than 13 million viewers watched O'Dwyer and Matisse become the second dog act to win Britain's Got Talent, following Ashleigh Butler and Pudsey in 2012, in the highest rating final since that year.
ITV has released voting figures which showed O'Dwyer and Matisse won by just 2% - getting 22.6% of votes, compared to 20.4% for magician Raven.
Outraged viewers claimed to be "misled" over Matisse on the tightrope stunt.