Radio Caroline In Trouble Over King Charles’ Death Hoax Broadcast

LONDON

LONDON

A UK radio station has been found to have broken broadcasting rules after wrongly announcing the death of King Charles III, the industry regulator Ofcom has ruled.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Radio Caroline, an Essex-based station, is at the centre of the breach after pre-recorded royal death announcements were mistakenly aired during “The Barry Marsh Show” on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.

The station has since been sanctioned for violating rules requiring accurate, impartial reporting and prompt on-air correction of errors.

How It Happened

ADVERTISEMENT

ValidViewNetwork gathered that listeners tuning in that afternoon heard a message stating that normal programming had been suspended “as a mark of respect” following the King’s passing.

The false announcement was followed by the national anthem, “God Save the King,” and an extended silence lasting roughly 16 minutes before the presenter returned to apologise for what he described as a technical error.

Ofcom’s ruling noted that the presenter, upon realising what had occurred, stopped the recordings and left the premises in panic, a detail that compounded the delay in correcting the record, since he was streaming the show remotely at the time.

Station’s Explanation

Findings show that Radio Caroline stored the files under strict internal instructions restricting their use, and that they were reportedly played by a staff member “out of curiosity” rather than by deliberate design.

The station said the staff member responsible has been reprimanded and has since apologised, and that the files have now been removed from studio computers as a preventive measure.

Regulator’s Position

ValidViewNetwork reports that Ofcom received two formal complaints over the incident and ruled that Radio Caroline breached Rule 5.1, which mandates accuracy in news reporting, and Rule 5.2, which requires timely on-air corrections.

The regulator described the inaccuracy as “very significant,” given it concerned “an issue of particular public importance,” and noted that an apology and clarification did not go out until approximately 30 minutes after the false announcement first aired.

Checks by ValidViewNetwork show the ruling adds to a long, sober history of British broadcasters guarding tightly against premature or erroneous royal death announcements — protocols first tested publicly with the deaths of Kings George V and George VI, and more recently Queen Elizabeth II, whose passing was managed under the codename “London Bridge” before official confirmation.