Amongst his TV documentaries for ITV, the BBC and C4 are the following:[1] A number of Ware's programmes have attracted trenchant criticism: Asylum seekers The then Home Secretary, David Blunkett described "The Asylum Game" (2003)[20] as a "poorly researched and overspun documentary" which uncritically repeated the claims of MigrationWatch UK, an organisation campaigning for tightening restrictions on immigration to the UK.
[22] Save for The Guardian, however, the programme was reviewed positively by the rest of the mainstream media,[23] with Blunkett’s criticism described as “intemperate” in The Sunday Times.
[36] The Labour Party, then led by Jeremy Corbyn, strongly condemned the programme, stating that it contained "deliberate and malicious representations designed to mislead".
The party stated that "Panorama has pre-determined the outcome of its investigation and is relying on unsubstantiated allegations and misrepresentation to come to its conclusions".
[44] In a statement, the BBC said it “welcomed” the “long overdue apology to John Ware and the seven Panorama whistle-blowers who have been subjected to painful and damaging attacks on their integrity and character” adding “John Ware is a reporter with an extraordinary record of excellence at Panorama for investigative journalism in the public interest.”[45] Jeremy Corbyn and some Labour Party members stood by the original accusations.
In 2020, Ware commenced legal proceedings against Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi and Richard Kuper of Jewish Voice for Labour for making false allegations about his journalistic career and the programme.
[46][47] In September 2022, they agreed to issue a full public apology and in a settlement are reported to have paid £200,000 in costs and damages.
[48] Ware also won a libel case against Paddy French, editor of Press Gang and Rebecca Television.
[62][63] Ware now lives in north-west London with his wife, the television producer Wendy Robbins, who is also Jewish,[64] and their three children.