THE Broadcasting Authority has written to TV3 outlining a series of complaints that have been upheld about a controversial game show.

The programme Play TV airs at midnight and has attracted 78 complaints from angry viewers.

The Broadcasting Authority said they are now awaiting a response from TV3 to the serious concerns raised.

A statement said: "The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has written to TV3 regarding the complaints upheld by the Board of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC)... and once this response has been received, BAI will be informing all the relevant complainants of the outcome...

"With regard to the number of complaints, 78 in total have been received, of which 17 decisions have been formalised and 28 are still being processed. There are no further complaints pending outside of these numbers."

TV3 said it had already looked for changes in the way Play TV operates, to make it completely clear to viewers how it works.

Most of the complaints centred on difficulties in answering nearly impossible questions or in getting through to the studio in the first place.

Viewers call a number, which costs €1.50, and are oftentimes told they have not been successful "this time" and are asked to try again.

One viewer told the Sunday Tribune how he opened his phone bill to find a charge for nearly €30 on it.

He spoke to his son, who admitted he had called the game show and had never once got through to the studio to answer a question.

Another member of the public described how they ran up a bill of €370 in the space of a month by calling Play TV.