Channel 5 boss admits he was advised 'not to run' royal TV series

Channel 5 was told to steer clear of broadcasting a television programme about the Royal Family, it has emerged.

The broadcaster has transmitted numerous detailed programmes about the Royals throughout the years, ranging from documentaries examining Royal residences to shows exploring Zara and Mike Tindall, alongside Prince Edward.

Programmes including Secrets of the Royals and Lip-Reading the Royals: The Secret Conversations have offered viewers an insider's glimpse into behind-the-scenes activities, yet there was one television series that nearly failed to make it to air.

Ben Frow, Channel 5's Director of Programming, disclosed that he approached the King and Queen's communications representative to explore whether assistance could be provided for a television programme.

During a question-and-answer session at the Edinburgh TV festival, Ben revealed he had been candid about the "fantastic numbers" that particular controversial Royals, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, generate for Channel 5.

"I fessed up and I said, 'Look, Andrew, Harry, and Meghan still deliver fantastic numbers for us'," Ben informed Express and other media outlets.

"I made my position clear [about Harry and Meghan] and they didn't say don't do anything, but in an email a couple of weeks later, he said, 'I'd rather you didn't'."

He continued by disclosing that the communications representative rejected his appeal for insider details, reports Gloucestershire Live.

Ben continued: "It was about Royal Service, and we asked him if he could help us get something on the Royal Family, and he said, 'It's not in my job description'."

Harry and Meghan have long been a topic of contention among the public, particularly since their decision to step down as senior royals in 2020 and move to the US.

The couple has ventured into reality TV with their Netflix series Harry and Meghan, but they have also been the subject of numerous documentaries, such as Channel 5's Harry and Meghan: What Next? and Meghan and Harry: The Rise and Fall.

However, they are not the only controversial figures in the Royal Family, as Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew, younger brother of King Charles III, has also stirred up controversy in recent years.

This has led to him being the subject of television programmes as well, including Channel 5's Prince Andrew: Where Did All The Money Go? and Andrew and Fergie's Unconventional Relationship.