GMB fans threaten to ‘turn off’ after Richard Madeley’s ‘derogatory and patronising’ comment about cleaners
GOOD Morning Britain fans have threatened to “turn off” the ITV breakfast series due to a “derogatory” comment from Richard Madeley.
The blunt ITV host, 60, was called out for what Good Morning Britain viewers blasted as a “patronising” and “generally offensive” comment about a cleaner at Number 10 Downing Street.
The employee could be seen in the back of a live shot during the show’s political segment with Louisa James, making sure the black door to Prime Minister Liz Truss‘ official residence was sparkling and spot-free.
He was also wearing a black outfit, with his back to the camera, and polishing using a blue glove.
Yet Richard called out the act as somewhat trivial considering the UK’s political crisis and Liz Truss’ precarious position as PM following her Mini Budget U-Turns.
After chatting about the news report Richard called out: “The guy polishing the front door, the flunkey.
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“It’s like the analogy of the deckchairs being re-arranged on the Titanic – who cares if the doors are shiny?
“It’s the least important thing of the day.”
Richard’s GMB co-host Susanna Reid wittily added: “Well we are going to be talking to the shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves because of course Labour think that door is being polished for an entrance from Sir Keir Starmer,” which made Richard giggle in delight.
A flunkey is a word used to describe someone who is said to perform menial tasks for somebody else.
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Yet fans were not as amused, with one taking to Twitter to write: “Richard Madeley on GMB has just called a man a ‘flunkey’ live on air. He seemed to think it amusing that a ‘flunkey’ was cleaning the front door of No10 – that ‘flunkey’ is just a man trying to earn a living.”
Another put: “Struggling to make a living and that pompous a**e call him a ‘flunkey’,” as a third agreed and put: “You mean someone who has actually got up and went to work you plank Madeley.”
One viewer added: “He routinely says incredibly patronising & generally offensive things. The man needs to go.”
A GMB fan wrote: “GMB don’t call the guy polishing the door a flunkey, it’s just a fella doing his job,” as another surmised: “Poor Old Show chap.
“That fellow looks to me that he’s doing a great job and deserves respect. #GMB.”
A final Twitter user then added: “Madeley just called the guy cleaning No.10 front door, a ‘flunkey’. Who the hell does he think he is! #gmb.”
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One then bluntly described their decision to turn off the show after Madeley’s comment: “Turn on TV. Richard Madeley on @GMB. Turns off.”
Meanwhile earlier on the show, Richard raised eyebrows as he snapped at GMB weather presenter Laura Tobin.
