Top 10 Shocking Moments on This Morning
For this list, we're looking at some of the most shocking and controversial moments on the popular ITV breakfast show.
Special thanks to our user WordToTheWes for submitting the idea on our interactive suggestion tool: WatchMojo.comsuggest
#10: Designer Vagina
We start with an unexpected device, brought onto the show with the promise that it “revitalises” a woman’s vagina. And, though it’s a feature that might’ve proven controversial on other daytime TV shows, in typical “This Morning” fashion the presenters are not only entirely unphased, but they’re ready for a demonstration. One guest is even shown actually having the procedure done – aided by a well-placed blanket and a helpful camera angle to maintain her modesty. Holly and Phil deliver the segment in a typically professional way, but there were eyebrows raised amongst viewers nonetheless!
#9: The Militant Vegan
Few rivalries are as intense as the one between vegans and livestock farmers, as proven by this particularly hot-tempered interview. As accusations fly, Phillip and Holly struggle to mediate the arguments between a farming couple and one especially impassioned vegan campaigner. The initial issues began when the dairy farmers posted on social media that they’d had calf triplets on their farm… After which, they received abusive messages from animal rights activists accusing them of being “murderers” and even “rapists”. And, despite attempts to maintain a balanced debate, the show briefly descends into chaos.
#8: Eamonn’s Prostitution Suggestion
We’ve all said something that we wish we could take back, and this was probably one of those times for Eamonn Holmes. When interviewing a self-confessed sex addict, who says she has slept with over a thousand men in her lifetime and up to seven different people a day, Eamonn shocked everyone when he asked her if she’d ever considered “making a living” out of her habit. Crystal is understandably offended by the suggestion she should become a prostitute to make some quick cash, and Eamonn is forced to backtrack. But it’s too little too late, and further explanation only adds to the insult.
#7: A Teacher Misgenders a Student
Maths teacher Joshua Sutcliffe came under fire in the media in late 2017, after referring to a male transgender student at school as a girl. When interviewed by Phil and Holly, Sutcliffe continued to say “she” and “her” in relation to the pupil, even after he was corrected. He was joined on the sofa by Andrea Williams, and both of them cited their Christian beliefs as a justification for misgendering the student. But the interview ultimately ends with Phil, who says he finds their views “utterly abhorrent” after failing to convince either of them to accept trans people.
#6: Sex Toy Review
Think the designer vagina probe was inappropriate for daytime television? This next item further tested the boundaries of “mid-morning content” by showing off an array of sex toys. Married couple April and Adrian are brought on the show to review the toys, which they reveal they’re trying out in an effort to restart their sex life. And they don’t hold back, either. They go in-depth about the products, show the toys, rate the toys, and describe at length exactly how they’re used. The highlight? One pink-coloured, vibrating ice cube that Holly can hardly believe exists.
#5: Testicular Cancer Exam
In the battle against cancer, a very real issue that many people face is not checking themselves regularly. So, it was with the best intentions that “This Morning” showed a full testicular cancer self-exam live on air with a male model who, adding to the value of the segment, says he’s actually never checked himself before. A doctor tells him what to do step-by-step while the guests and presenters listen. But this moment garnered many complaints from people reportedly outraged at the showing of genitalia on daytime tele, regardless of context. Still, at least it started the conversation!
#4: The UKIP Couple
The UK Independence Party has been at the centre of countless scandals since its formation, but one of the most extreme examples was when the former leader, Henry Bolton, and his girlfriend Jo Marney were voted out of the party following racist comments made on social media. Marney specifically made many claims online and in private, including that Meghan Markle’s marriage to Prince Harry would “taint” the royal bloodline, and that Grenfell Tower was a “nest of illegal immigrants.” So, when Marney and Bolton appeared on the “This Morning” sofa, the interview became one of the most infamous and unsettling in the show’s recent history.
#3: Katie Hopkins’ Kids’ Names
She’s a figure of tremendous controversy whenever she opens her mouth, but this appearance by the notorious tabloid columnist is arguably her most infamous. Here, Hopkins suggests that you can determine the class of a child by their name, and that she wouldn’t allow her children to mix with kids whose names are “working class.” Second guest Anna May Mangan eventually calls Hopkins an “insufferable snob”… And even the usually-calm Holly can’t stand what’s being said. And then Katie rounds it off by saying she doesn’t like “geographical location names” – to which Phil points out that her own daughter is called India. Classic/
#2: Ghost Sex
Arguably one of the most bizarre interviews ever undertaken in the studio was with Amethyst Realm, who claims she has sex with ghosts. It all began more than a decade before her 2017 appearance on the show, when her fiancé used to travel a lot. During the time he was away her relationship with her house’s spooky resident apparently blossomed. But, when her fiancé came home early, they were caught in the act and Amethyst was dumped. Nevertheless, she says she’s never looked back and no longer has any interest in people who aren’t dead. She even hopes to have a “phantom pregnancy” one day.
#1: Rent for Sex
Today’s top spot sees Holly take lumps out of an anonymous interviewee, who’s on the show to talk about a “rent for sex” scandal he's involved with. He offers women a place to live for free, with the expectation that they’ll have sex with him. And while he argues that it’s completely consensual, above board, and the women know what they’re getting into, Holly’s unable to stomach it. She points out a clause in the Sexual Offences Act that he’s potentially violating, and that it’s illegal to exchange goods in the solicitation of sex. Despite this, he remains unfazed and continues saying it’s just an “arrangement”, much to the mounting anger and astonishment of Holly and the “This Morning” viewers.