Richard Madeley's most controversial moments amid Good Morning Britain axe calls
Richard Madeley is facing calls to resign - or for bosses to sack him - after he followed a preposterous line of questioning when grilling a politician on Good Morning Britain.
However it is far from the first time the 67-year-old television host has raised eyebrows with his interviewing technique. Past blunders and awkward lines of questioning have often seen the broadcasting icon compared to fictional comedy character Alan Partridge - played by Steve Coogan - who is famous for asking outrageous and inappropriate questions.
Richard has enjoyed a decades long career in the spotlight as a broadcaster - booming a household name to millions when he was a co-host of This Morning alongside his wife Judy Finnigan. The couple presented the iconic ITV daytime show from 1988 until 2001 - at which point they hosted their own show, titled Richard & Judy, on Channel 4 from 2001 until 2009.
While Judy has largely disappeared from the spotlight to enjoy time away from the cameras, Richard has carried on hosting shows and featuring on I’m A Celeb. Since 2017, he has been one of the presenters on ITV’s morning news show Good Morning Britain - where he is now facing a sacking campaign from viewers. Here are just a few of Richard’s most controversial moments.
Lib Dem MP Layla Moran was on the receiving end of bizarre questions from Richard Madeley (ITV)Obscene Hamas questions
On Tuesday 17 October, Richard drew criticism from Good Morning Britain viewers when he interviewed Liberal Democrat politician Layla Moran. The duo were discussing the conflict between Israel and Hamas, which was ignited further recently by Hamas fighters murdering and kidnapping civilians in Israel.
Richard 'shuts up' GMB guest who says Hancock 'deserved' being called 'd***head'
With British-Palestinian MP Layla featuring on Good Morning Britain less than two weeks after the attacks, Richard took the mind-boggling opportunity to ask the politician if she had any advanced warning that Hamas had been planning their brutal attack. He asked the MP, who serves as the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and International Development: "With your family connections in Gaza, did you have any indication of what was going to happen ten days ago, two weeks ago? Was there any word on the street?"
Clearly astonished by the blunt and insensitive question, Layla replied: "Not this, not this. Everyone, everyone has been surprised first of all by the timing and sophistication and they way that it's happened. People say, go back to the negotiating table - the fact of the matter is there has not been a table, let alone to go back to a negotiating table for at least ten years.”
Viewers panned Richard for his ill-judged wording, prompting the star to issue a grovelling apology via Good Morning Britain. A statement was released, saying: “Richard is sorry that he has upset viewers with his question to Layla Moran. His intention was to understand the mood and atmosphere amongst the civilian population of Gaza immediately before the attacks. He asked Layla about her family in Gaza City because she had discussed speaking to them earlier in the interview. He did not mean to imply that she or her family might have had any prior knowledge of the attacks.”
Richard Madeley is facing calls to be sacked from Good Morning Britain (ITV)Climate Change Chaos
Earlier in 2023, in March, Richard sparked anger when he likened climate change protestors to child sex offenders. His eyebrows raising comparison was made after a group of lawyers announced they would not prosecute climate change protestors like those that campaign for Just Stop Oil or Extinction Rebellion.
Taking issue with the legal move, Richard grumbled on air: “If these people, these barristers and lawyers, have announced they will not prosecute – they simply won’t even get started in a court of law – someone who has glued themselves to the road as part of a Just Stop Oil protest, are they still happy to defend, say, a paedophile?" While this description sparked complaints from some viewers - Richard only went on to double down in his arguments against climate activists.
He aggressively questioned Just Stop Oil campaigner Miranda Wheelan in April, with viewers noticing she looked close to tears while on the show. He also went on to complain that climate activists wear clothes, saying: “The clothes that you're wearing to some extent owe their existence to oil. There are so many ways oil impacts on your life as a protestor but you don't acknowledge that."
The exchange provoked a backlash - and a petition to have Richard sacked from Good Morning Britain. A Change.org petition was created which slammed Richard for his interviewing technique - and called for his sacking, arguing: “This kind of interviewing at this crucial fork in the road is incredibly dangerous. We need to be facing this problem head on, not criticising people for the clothes they wear.”
Richard argued with Union boss Mick Lynch in December 2022 (AFP via Getty Images)Union disillusion
Strikes had a major impact on the UK in 2022 as post, rail, and NHS workers took to the picket lines to demand better payment and work conditions. And while many supported those taking the steps to go on strike, it seemed Richard was less pleased to see workers downing tools.
In the run up to Christmas, train strikes caused travel chaos for many - and the broadcaster took the opportunity to fire some awkward questions at Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union leader Mick Lynch. Addressing the Christmas strikes, Richard growled: "Whatever happened to Christmas kindness? Why do you have to target people at Christmas?"
Mick replied: "Well, we're not targeting Christmas - it isn't Christmas yet, Richard. I don't know when your Christmas starts but mine starts on Christmas Eve." And Mick held his ground while Richard tried to cut into his reply, saying: "If you let me finish the question, if you let me finish the answer. Richard, you're just talking to yourself at the minute - you're ranting. Richard, you're ranting."
Richard Madeley slammed for 'humiliating' GMB guest in teachers' strike grilling
It wasn’t just Mick who was left unimpressed, as Good Morning Britain viewers was also less than impressed with Richard’s argumentative questioning. Many took to social media to complain that the host was barely allowing to give his guest time to answer the questions he seemed determined to fire at him.
Even Dr Hilary Jones isn't safe from Richard's bonkers line of questioning (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Someone call the Doctor
Amid the Covid pandemic in 2021, Richard skirted dangerously close to anti-vaccine territory during a discussion about vaccines with Dr Hilary Jones and co-host Susanna Reid. Discussion swiftly descended into arguments - with Richard leaving some viewers concerned that he was overlooking science.
Debate was sparked over the UK’s then decision to reopen following lockdown in 2021 following the beginning of the vaccine rollout. Dr Hillary had appeared on the show to argue that the UK should still show caution - using Australia as an example where restrictions were being introduced due to changing variants in the Covid-19 virus.
Richard suggested that the UK could open due to the vaccine rollout - and then seemed to reject Dr Hillary’s comment that no vaccine is one hundred per cent protective. Richard argued: "But we have the vaccine and Australia hasn't." And when told vaccines didn't offer "100 per cent protection", Richard accused Dr Hilary of being "misleading".
He then went on to clash with Susanna over the use of face masks. Susanna said: "I will carry on wearing masks in any enclosed environment, like the supermarket." But Richard barked: "I don't want to wear a mask anymore - I'm not comfortable, I don't like it."
Susanna Reid is often sat beside Richard during his eyebrow raising moments (ITV)Hitler Youth
In June 2021, Richard raised eyebrows when he made reference to the Hilter Youth during a discussion about ISIS jihadist Shamima Begum. Shamima travelled from the UK in 2015 when she was just 15-years-old to join ISIS - making her an enemy of the state and leading to her citizenship being revoked.
Argument has raged as to whether Shamima should be allowed back into the UK - although officials are clear she is considered too big a risk to national security. Richard, during a discussion about the terrorist’s case, appeared to offer a degree of sympathy as he made comparison to the way allied forces treated members of the Hitler Youth following the events of World War II.
In scenes that left many with their mouths falling open, Richard said: “There's one interesting point that I was thinking about last night. Obviously we had the Nuremberg trials after the war and we hanged quite a few Nazis and we imprisoned a lot of others and let them out eventually.
"But we didn't go after the Hitler Youth, as far as I'm aware - we didn't go after the Hitler youth, we only went after adults who served in the Hitler regime. That's just something to reflect on, I think."
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