Viewers of the beloved series Doc Martin have now been warned the programme may contain 'medical procedures' in the latest wave of trigger warnings being displayed before the show begins. The long-running ITV comedy-drama, starring Martin Clunes, now features the notice when viewers try to watch the programme through the ITVX streaming service. The new warnings appear across a handful of episodes and span across several seasons. It comes as ITV recently added warnings to other classic shows including Inspector Morse.
In one episode, a featured warning advises viewers that the show "contains a mild medical procedure". The episode then features Dr Martin Ellingham removing a mole from a patient's face. Another episode that appears in series three warns of "scenes of injury which some viewers may find upsetting". Then, in series six, another warning alerts viewers to "bloody scenes of a medical nature". HELLO! has reached out to ITV to comment.
ITV warnings
In late July, Inspector Morse, one of ITV's most iconic detective dramas, was also hit with a new trigger warning. The long-running series, which aired from 1987 to 2000, now carries content warnings for "crime scenes" and "satanic images" on the ITVX streaming service. ITV's Vera also came under fire when a syndicated episode was aired with a warning, which told viewers that the programme "contains scenes from the start that some viewers may find upsetting." Fans were to quick to label the move as 'unnecessary', given the usual expectations of a series that follows Brenda Blethyn's DCI Stanhope routinely solving murder cases.
The trend isn't just limited to crime dramas either. The classic ITV soap Crossroads – originally airing between the 1960s and 1980s – was later given warnings for "language and attitudes of its time" upon being streamed on ITVX. Actress Fiona Curzon, who played Faye Mansfield between 1975 and 1977, called the warnings "absolutely pathetic" at the time.
She said: "I don't think anyone sitting down and watching Crossroads would be shocked by anything. On the contrary I think they would think, 'what is the matter with the people who are issuing these warnings?' The point is we were very moderated in those days.'"