A DUP assembly member who appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss same-sex couples on Strictly Come Dancing is to make a complaint to TV regulator Ofcom after describing the interview as a "bruising encounter".
Jim Wells, a former DUP health minister, said he would not be silenced following an interview with the show's hosts, Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid on the ITV morning show on Tuesday morning.
The veteran politician said on the show that same-sex couples should not be allowed on the reality show because it would be too "challenging" to watch.
Mr Wells, who lost the DUP whip after criticising the leadership last year, said he believed the BBC should not let two people of the same gender dance together on the programme after the broadcaster said it was "completely open" to having same-sex couples competing on the show in the future.
During the debate, Mr Wells said his views are not a "repressed" thing after Morgan told him: "Most people who have this weirdly anti-gay sentiment at some stage in their life have had a ‘feeling'."
After the politician claimed he was being insulted by Morgan, the broadcaster replied: "I’m not insulting you, I’m insulting your bigotry, which is irrational, inconsistent, makes no sense whatsoever, your favourite shows have loads of gay presenters on, there’s a gay judge on Strictly, you think that’s fine but you won’t have two people – who may not even be gay – dancing together".
Speaking after the interview, Mr Wells told the Irish News that the interview "was an attempt to shut up people like me but it won't stop me. I will not be silenced."
In an e-mail to Neil Thomson, Editor of Good Morning Britain, Mr Wells said the conduct of the show's hosts during the interview had been "biased, abusive and humiliating".
He added that he is "preparing a formal complaint about this which I intend to refer to Ofcom."
"I will be consulting my lawyer about the text of the complaint which will be with you before the end of this week," he said.
In a reply, Mr Thompson said he was "sorry" that Mr Wells was "upset in the wake" of his interview.
He added: "Naturally we take all complaints seriously. I will reply to you more fully once we receive your formal complaint, as detailed in your email".
