BBC Breakfast flooded with complaints over 'irresponsible' Grand Theft Auto segment

Not what you'd want your children to see
Natasha Rigler
By Natasha Rigler

BBC Breakfast has come under fire for airing an “irresponsible” segment that children were able to watch.

BBC One’s flagship breakfast show has been hit with more than 100 complaints from angry viewers.

The grumbles flooded in after BBC Breakfast showed the new trailer for adult computer game Grand Theft Auto 6.

BBC Breakfast has received complaints for airing the Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer (Credit: Rockstar Games)

It aired while most of the UK’s kids were still on their school summer holidays, meaning they could easily watch.

BBC Breakfast viewers fume over Grand Theft Auto trailer

The trailer for Grand Theft Auto was shown during BBC Breakfast’s broadcast on August 28, 2026.

The game is due to be released worldwide in November and is highly-anticipated by gaming fans. Its launch has already been delayed twice, as developers work to reach ‘the standards fans expect’.

But Grand Theft Auto 6 will be slapped with a strict age rating when it drops. The exact classification has not been announced yet, but it is highly like to be an 18.

All previous series of the game have received an 18 classification. This is due to intense violence, sexual content, substance use and foul language.

The game is expected to receive an 18 certification (Credit: Rockstar Games)

Parents have already been sharing their concerns online about the upcoming GTA 6 release.

One asked on Mumsnet: “Would I be unreasonable to think this game should be made to have both facial age checks and a credit card age check to help prevent young people accessing it?

“I’m aware some parents will do this for their kids but I feel the games themselves are well known for being deeply misogynistic and it’s very concerning that the female protagonist is highly likely to be subject to awful things and used for player gratification.”

After showing the trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, BBC Breakfast was hit with a backlash. It has now been confirmed that 106 unhappy viewers complained to television watchdog Ofcom about the segment.

Ofcom has confirmed that all the complaints related to: “Irresponsible to broadcast the trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6.”

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BBC Breakfast airs weekdays from 6am on BBC One.