Good Morning Britain has been slapped with 145 Ofcom complaints about Richard Madeley’s heated on air row with SAGE professor Susan Michie.
The chat show’s bashing from the broadcasting regulator comes after GMB hosts Richard Madeley and his co-star Susanna Reid spoke to Professor Susan Michie on Monday’s show about the topic of mask wearing.
The debate came up after WHO announced masks should continue to be worn to curb the spread of the new Delta variant, amid the July 19 lifting of lockdown restrictions, and Richard asked whether or not the UK should ditch masks altogether in the future.
It now also follows Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s latest announcement on Monday about plans to scrap social distancing on 19 July in what is being called ‘Freedom Day’.
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Although Susan, a SAGE behavioural psychologist, offered her views on the science behind the spread of Covid, Richard decided to bring up Michie’s political views instead and revealed the scientist was a member of the Communist Party.
He said: “There’s a point I really have to put to you. You’ll be aware of this because there’s been a lot of commentary about this in the British media about you.
“It’s to do with your politics, and you know I’m going to ask you. You’ve been a member of the Communist Party for about 40 years now, you’re still a member.”
“We know that communism is basically statist. We look at communist countries around the world and we see that they are tremendously top-down, dominant and control societies that they rule over.
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He then went on to suggest that Susan was being influenced by her Communist ideals.
He said: “I just wonder, and I’m putting this question on behalf of those who wonder about your politics, if your politics actually informs your sense of control. It’s not just the medical argument, but you have a political bent to want the state to tell people what to do.”
However, Susan shut Richard down and refused to answer his question, pointing out that other scientists haven’t had to speak about their political views on the show.
She replied: “I’ve come on your programme as a scientist, as do all people who come on your programme as scientists.
“They come on to talk about the evidence, relevant theories, how we approach scientific disciplines. And you don’t ask other scientists about politics. So I’m very happy to speak about science, which is what my job is, and limit it to that.”
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Richard had tried to follow up with more questions in order to clarify her point of view, pressing: “You’re saying that your politics doesn’t inform your opinion on this subject?”
But she insisted they move on to a scientific topic rather than politics, replying: “I’m saying that I agreed to come on this programme as a scientist, and I’m very happy to talk to you about the issues that you’re raising, as a scientist. Which is the same for other scientists that you invite onto the programme.”
Richard then agreed to change the subject, and he finished by saying: “That’s a perfectly fair answer, thank you for that”.
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Many viewers on Twitter were unhappy with Richard’s approach to the interview and political poking, with one calling his questions a “low blow”.
They wrote: “I don’t agree with Susan Michie, but asking a scientist about their politics seems a bit of a low blow. Don’t your politics inform how you present the programme and question your guests Richard?”
A second commented: “Did Richard Madeley just question a qualified professor in science that her professional opinion was based on her being a member of the Communist Party?”
A third then joined in, calling Richard “totally unprofessional” during the morning show.
Good Morning Britain airs on weekdays at 6am on ITV.
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