A Spanish chat show is embroiled in controversy after a guest was charged with killing a woman who turned down his on-air marriage proposal.

Ms Orlova reacts to the proposal. Picture: Antena 3/YouTube

Five days after appearing on the Antena 3 programme Diario de Patricia (Patricia’s Diary), Svetlana Orlova was found dead at her home in Alicante, her throat cut.

Her ex-boyfriend Ricardo Navarro, who had appeared on as a “surprise” guest on the daytime show, has been charged over her murder.

TV researchers had failed to find out that Ms Orlova had a court order requiring Navarro to keep at least 500 metres away from her due to a previous case of abuse.

She looked uncomfortable as host Patricia Gaztanaga called him onto the live programme and she had to be pushed to respond to his proposal.

Eventually she quietly refused.

The Association of Television Viewers of Catalonia has demanded that Antena 3 drop Diario de Patricia, which attracts more than million viewers a day.

And a chief judge of the region’s supreme court has called for a review of such shows, saying they may “add fire” to a heated situation.

Groups promoting women’s rights have also been outraged by the actions of the talk show.

“We believe that media professionals should be capable of assessing when a situation is delicate when treating women,” said Covadonga Naredo of Spain’s Federation of Progressivist Women.

Source: SKY

Filed under: News, Spain