Channel 5's Age Gap Love has been accused of 'normalising' grooming after featuring a couple who got together at the ages of 16 and 44.
The broadcaster tweeted out a teaser clip of last November's show, which featured 19-year-old Beth and 44-year-old Andy, who got together three years earlier, just as Beth had turned 16.
Bus driver Andy had said in the clip that he was originally a 'friend' of Beth's mum, and that he got close to all her kids, then when Beth was 16, he realised she was having 'thoughts' about him.
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In the footage, Andy says: "We were all like one happy family but needless to say I didn't know that Beth was like, getting these thoughts that she wanted me to be her happy man forever, sort of thing."
He added: "I was concerned what people would think. 16. 44. It's a big gap. It's a generation gap. So it's like, what are people going to think?"
Viewers were disgusted at the footage, Age Gap Love for normalising behaviour that many deemed to be 'abuse' and 'grooming' - because Andy had known Beth as a child.
Many replied to the tweet with their thoughts on Beth and Andy's relationship.
In the clip, Beth, who has two young children with Andy, also addresses the age gap.
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She said: "The age doesn't really bother me. it never has done. I don't see him as an old man, or my dad, or anything like that. He's just sensitive like a big teddy bear."
A Channel 5 spokesperson told LADbible: "With tens of thousands of couples across the UK today involved in relationships where there is a significant age difference, Age Gap Love is a non-judgemental observational documentary series which examines such relationships through the eyes of those involved.
"The programme asks how these couples came to be together and explores the challenges they face in their daily lives."
Age Gap Love continues Wednesday 5 June at 10pm on Channel 5.
Featured Image Credit: Channel 5