‘Stop ramming your left wing views down our throats!’: BBC viewers say Sunday evening has become full of ‘moralising claptrap’ thanks to sudden ‘wokeification’ of Antiques Roadshow and Countryfile

Antiques Roadshow and Countryfile viewers have slammed the BBC for ‘ramming left wing views down our throats’ – as a Sunday double of shows which ‘once avoided politics’ have been accused of being full of ‘moralising claptrap’ and ‘propaganda’.

Both shows have faced backlash recently over accusations they are patronising viewers with overly political content, after an antiques expert declined to value an item and the BBC was forced to respond to criticism after a ‘overly political’ Countryfile episode.

Antiques Roadshow expert Ronnie Archer-Morgan refused to value an ivory bangle that was linked to the slave trade on the latest episode of the show on Sunday.

This garnered criticism, including from the Mail columnist Nana Akua, who said the episode ‘left a truly nasty taste in my mouth’, adding: ‘The BBC cannot resist an opportunity to wag its fingers at us, the philistine viewers.’

Antiques Roadshow viewers have criticised the programme, with X/Twitter user Rufus writing: ‘#BBC now politicsing (sic) #antiquesroadshow after moralising on #countryfile, ramming their left wing views down our throats on programmes that avoided politics & charging us for the privilege.

‘Time for #licencefee to go, stand up & see if public want this moralising clap trap.’

On the most recent Antiques Roadshow episode, the guest who brought in the ivory disk she had purchased 36 years ago for £3. Mr Archer-Morgan said he was upset as he revealed it was linked to a ‘despicable’ indigenous slave trader from Nigeria. 

He told her: ‘I want to make it absolutely clear that myself and we in the Antiques Roadshow wholly, unequivocally disapprove of the trade in ivory.

He continued: ‘But this ivory bangle here, it’s not about trading in ivory, it’s about trading in human life. It’s probably one of the most difficult things that I’ve ever had to talk about, but talk about it we must.

‘This is an amazing object and a testament to the callous trade that went on in the 17th, 18th, and 19th century.’

Ronnie inspected the disc, pointing to engraved writing around it that showed the name of a person, a ship and the inscription ‘honest fellow’.

He revealed the name was of a slave trader and said: ‘A despicable human being. I think he was an indigenous trader, somebody from Nigeria. He wouldn’t have been trading in his own people, it was another nation, another tribe.

‘And then we have “honest fellow”. I’d like to meet him and teach him how honest I think he is.’

He continued by noting: ‘These objects are really rare. I know of the existence of about half a dozen of these only. It’s extraordinary.

‘I mean, this is a document for living proof in a way, the surviving proof that this awful trade went on, and look how beautiful the calligraphy is. The beauty of the calligraphy, it just belies the awfulness of the message.’

The bangle was inscribed with the ship name ‘Anna’ and the year 1782, with the guest revealing that that particular ship contained 535 slaves.

X users have said they won’t by watching ‘anti British’ Antiques Roadshow anymore. One person said: ‘Watched Antiques Roadshow since I was a kid. Used to be fascinated but now, along with the rest of the poisonous anti British garbage the BBC churns out, can’t be bothered with it anymore!

‘There are better shows about antiques elsewhere on TV that don’t push endless lefty [cow emoji] [poo emoji].’

Another user wrote: ‘That is positively the last time I watch Antiques Roadshow. The politicisation of everything by the BBC is absolutely depressing.’

The BBC was also recently forced to respond to backlash over a Countryfile segment which which looked at the difficulties of accessing dental care for those living in the English countryside. 

After the show aired on March 17, the BBC received complaints from viewers about the segment, which was branded as not ‘suitable’ for the show which usually focuses on farming and wildlife.

‘We received complaints from people who felt that the item on dentistry was not suitable for Countryfile,’ the broadcaster said.

But hitting back at the complaints, the BBC said the show covers a ‘wide range of rural affairs issues affecting rural areas and communities’. 

The broadcaster continued: ‘In this programme, Countryfile investigated the lack of NHS dentistry provision in Devon and Cornwall. Our film acknowledged this is a national problem but focused on the stories of those living in rural areas.

‘Previously the programme has produced diverse films including shortfalls in Special Education Needs provision and the difficulties recruiting Midwifery staff in rural areas.’

At the time, fans took to social media to complain about the dentistry segment as they said: ‘Countryfile. Dentists? Am I missing something?’,

‘What have NHS Dentists got to do with The Countryside? More irrelevant guff to pad out #countryfile.’,

‘#Countryfile What has lack of dentists got to do with countryside matters?? Is this panorama or Countryfile? My favourite Sunday evening relaxation show ruined.’

Countryfile viewers also recently criticised the show for ‘scraping the barrel’ over a lack of farming content in the Archaeology at Hinton Ampner episode.

The instalment of the long-running show saw presenter Anita Rani scavenging fields to uncover ancient relics and work alongside experts to measure electrical current in the ground – which is called resistivity.

John Craven also played a prominent part in the episode, as he investigate a prehistoric settlement given the moniker of ‘Britain’s Pompeii’.

Located at Must Farm, the site was perfectly preserved by a Bronze Age fire and John was offered the chance to handle a pot from the site.

On X, a number of users expressed their dismay at the topic of the special episode, commenting: ‘I love Countryfile, except tonight it was boring boring…scraping the barrel it would seem.

‘The entire programme is rubbish now. Tonight had sod all to do with farming etc. I love an archaeology programme, but not on Countryfile. The BBC have ruined it, along with many other ones.’

‘Archaeology isn’t what #Countryfile is meant to be. It’s supposed to be about farming not ancient no longer of use relics.’

‘Such a boring programme tonight not an animal in sight! #countryfile’.

Viewers have also criticised the show for a patronising tone, saying that the presenters sound like children’s TV hosts.

Upset viewer Julie Hulltra wrote on X on Sunday: ‘Today’s #Countryfile is a special Very Young CBeeBies edition, where every item is being presented in the most babyish voices & language, from sickly squeeing over beavers, to the woman who just described her germination work as making “baby trees”.’

Another commenter said: ‘I seldom watch countryfile these days as I think it lost its ways years ago. However I caught it last week. Has anyone noticed how it presents like a serious topic was presented by presenters on Blue Peter or news round back in the day , explained very slowly and very simply.’

Antiques Roadshow also caused fury in September last year after an expert suggested the descendants of an ex-governor of British Somaliland should consider the repatriation of artefacts that were given as gifts to their ancestor by Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie.

Sir Harold Kittermaster, governor of the protectorate between 1926 and 1931, was given a golden robe and personal letter by Haile Selassie.

Ronnie Archer-Morgan valued the robe in the region of £4,000 to £5,000.

But some viewers of the were left incensed when Mr Archer-Morgan asked two granddaughters of Sir Harold whether they would be happy to give away the garment for free.

He said: ‘So if there’s a call for these things to be repatriated, would you be happy to do that?’

In response, the two unnamed granddaughters said they ‘absolutely would’ and were going to ‘have a think’ about what they did with the artefact.

But some viewers, including leading historian Professor David Abulafia at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, called the discussion ‘senseless’ in light of historical context. Ethiopia has never asked for historic gifts to be returned.

‘Even for those who believe in returning objects, this simply doesn’t qualify because it was an open gift,’ Professor Abulafia told the Telegraph at the time.

‘It shows how people get caught up in a fashionable idea and they don’t actually think through the fundamental principles.

‘In this case, we’re dealing with a gift – and to whom should it go?

‘Ethiopia – well the Empire has been dissolved so you have a revolutionary government and they don’t qualify, while Somaliland is an anomalous state which has no international recognition, so where on Earth would one send it?

‘Some of these completely unhistorical demands for restitution are extraordinary, it felt like it was the answer they were expected to give.’

At the time, a BBC spokesman said: ‘Where we have relevant details about an item, experts explore the wider questions of provenance in relation to a variety of contexts, including the history of the British Empire, which in this instance was around Britain’s role in Africa in the early 20th century.’

MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.