Laura Kuenssberg and the BBC were hit with backlash on Wednesday evening as they aired Reform: Ready to Rule? The presenter examined the party's ambitions, organisation, and efforts to professionalise, after they had been consistently leading in the polls.

She looked into the party's origins and their representation on local councils and in Westminster as she asked whether Reform UK is ready to be a party of government. The special hour-long episode featured interviews with leading members of the party, including Nigel Farage and explored how voter dissatisfaction is reshaping Britain's political landscape. While some viewers were keen to learn more about the political party, others were outraged that it was being aired at all, with one fan even branding it "sickening". Taking to X/Twitter, they fumed: "#ReformReadytoRule Sickening that the BBC have paid Laura Kuenssberg a good wage to trail around after Nigel Farage of the Nigel Farage Party, Private Ltd Co where the leader is self appointed. PARTY POLITICAL BROADCAST or WHAT? It stinks!"

Another angrily added: "#ReformReadyToRule If you think I'm watching that Reform UK Ltd puff piece on the #BBC, just before the #GortonAndDenton by-election, you've got another thing coming. @UKLabour, @Conservatives, @TheGreenParty, @LibDems, etc ought to be complaining to @Ofcom and @ElectoralCommUK."

A third person admitted that they "couldn't watch" as they penned: "Just started watching the Reform: Ready to Rule documentary on BBC with Kuenssberg presenting it. It's f***ing painful to watch... I've just had to switch off."

However, others thought that it was eye-opening as one person wrote: "Interesting program on BBC 2 about Reform."

While one more said: "I'm no fan of @bbclaurak but the documentary about Reform is what I expect from the BBC! Reform idiots will call it a hit job but for once it's honest, balanced journalism from #BBCLauraK."

In the controversial documentary, Farage admits that the party is only "halfway ready" for power. Laura asked what the downside of the party's recent success had been.

He replied: "The worst thing is you wake up in the morning. A local councillor from somewhere in the country has done something or said something and guess what? You're the one that's responsible.

"I'm more than happy to answer for myself and what I get and what get wrong. But that's the trouble with politics. The trouble with political leadership is you actually become responsible for everything."

He added that he doesn't struggle with responsibility, but added: "I don't [like] being let down."