This Morning viewers were left squirming at their TV screens after hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield ate squirrel live-on air.
The presenting duo were back to front the latest instalment of the hit ITV daytime on Thursday (March 2).
And joining Holly and Phil was show regular chef Phil Vickery who was there to cook up a storm for the two presenters.
READ MORE: I’m A Celeb’s Babatúndé Aléshé says he ‘regretted’ show and was in ‘total fear’
However, plenty of the show’s viewers were left outraged when the chef revealed he was cooking a squirrel risotto.
“Squirrel risotto? This Morning reaching a new low,” raged one person.
(Image: ITV)
Someone else added: “Squirrel risotto? That’s appalling.”
“Really… squirrel… I won’t be watching, what’s next cat? Shameful,” proclaimed a third viewer.
Later on, Phil brought out his squirrel risotto for Holly and Phil and guests Anushka Asthana and Tom Swarbrick to try.
“Squirrel meat tends to have a lower fat content and it can lower blood pressure,” Phillip read off his sheet.
(Image: ITV)
“Have you ever cooked this?” Holly asked, to which the chef replied: “Yeah, loads of times.”
As Phil served up his latest culinary delight, Phillip appeared to look squirmish, with Holly equally as taken back.
Holly then asked Phil where he got the grey squirrel from and he informed her it was from Dorset.
Curious to know more, the blonde beauty then quipped: “Can you buy squirrel online?” before giggling to herself.
(Image: ITV)
Phillip and Tom were the only ones to tuck in, with Tom claiming: “It’s a bit chewy.”
With a mouthful of squirrel, Phillip then chimed in: “If you gave me that I wouldn’t know what it was.”
Holly wasn’t keen to try any, as she squirmed watching her co-host chomp on the dish.
Leaning back and covering her face with her sheet, she proclaimed: “It makes me feel a bit gippy.”
The show’s decision to include a squirrel dish comes as The Exmoor Squirrel Project are encouraging people to eat grey squirrels in a bid to save the native red squirrel.
(Image: ITV)
As the show’s stars tucked into their squirrel risotto, several more viewers took to Twitter to share their thoughts
“I think it’s disgusting that this morning is laughing and joking about eating grey squirrel live on tv,” raged one viewer.
However, someone else was behind the show’s decision, writing: “I’ve eaten squirrel stew many years ago in a rural Italian restaurant. It was lovely.”
Someone else agreed: “Yes I’d eat squirrel, If it’s free or cheap in this current crisis.”
However, another viewer proclaimed “no no and no!” and fifth agreed: “No I couldn’t eat squirrel! I feed them where I live and I like them so I couldn’t!”
READ MORE:
For more of the latest showbiz and TV news from the Daily Star, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
