Saturday Kitchen has found itself at the centre of controversy after the BBC confirmed it received more than 200 complaints over a chaotic on-air moment involving comedian James Acaster. The broadcaster revealed that 232 viewers contacted the BBC following the December 6 live episode, after Acaster staged an explosive tantrum that left some watching at home unsure whether the incident was scripted comedy or a genuine breakdown.

The backlash prompted host Matt Tebbutt to address the situation directly on the following week's programme, where he issued an apology on behalf of the show and attempted to calm concerns. "Before we go on, we just want to say on behalf of the whole team and guests on last week's show, thank you to all the viewers who commented about the end of the show's shenanigans," Matt said as the programme returned to air.

He later reassured viewers that no one had been offended during the segment, adding: "Absolutely nobody here was offended. As you can see, Paul the polar bear is fine and not a bauble was broken."

The moment in question occurred during a public vote segment, where viewers were asked to choose which dish they would rather eat. James appeared alongside his Off Menu podcast co-host Ed Gamble, Great British Menu judge Andi Oliver and author Tasha Marikkar.

Ed and James went head-to-head with their "heaven or hell" dishes, with Ed opting for tapas three-ways and James selecting a panettone tiramisu, in a playful nod to their podcast rivalry, where James is known for his love of desserts while Ed, who is diabetic, favours savoury food.

When the vote revealed viewers preferred Ed's dish, James launched into an exaggerated meltdown, screaming, wailing and striking a polar bear decoration on the set.

The BBC later confirmed that all complaints were logged under the category of "inappropriate behaviour of a guest".

Attempting to lighten the mood during the apology episode, Matt appeared to reference the controversy with a tongue-in-cheek comment about the week's guests "knowing how to look after a bear", a playful comparison between the battered polar bear decoration and guest Hugh Bonneville's famous role as Paddington.