Executives at Oprah Winfrey's production company have apologised to viewers after poor research led the TV titan to make a string of false claims about the benefits of living in Dubai.
The media mogul used her daily U.S. talk show to feature a segment on inspirational women from across the globe, including an interview with Dr. Lamees Hamdan, a Dubai mother who launched her own successful range of cosmetics in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.).
During the interview, the audience was told, "Thanks to this country's (U.A.E.'s) rich oil supplies, the government provides its citizens with free water, electricity and health care. The best part? No income tax!"
But the statement was false - although Dubai citizens don't pay income tax, they receive no state help with utilities.
A spokesperson for Harpo, Winfrey's production company, admits they got their facts wrong.
A statement reads, "It was never the intention of the Oprah show to misrepresent the people of Dubai. Dr. Hamdan appeared live on our programme to speak about her personal life experience as a citizen of Dubai. We apologise if any of our viewers were offended."
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