This Morning viewers criticised presenter Eamonn Holmes for his insensitivity when interviewing an amputee widow today.
Victoria Milligan, 45, lost her husband, daughter and one of her legs in an horrific speedboat accident in Cornwall’s Camel Estuary in May 2013.
Her husband, Nick, a 51-year-old BSkyB television executive, and their eight-year-old daughter Emily were killed when the family-of-six were thrown into the water by their out of control boat, which then ran into them.
Victoria and their then four-year-old son, Kit, were also seriously hurt from impact with the propeller and her other daughters Amber and Olivia, then 12 and ten, escaped with minor injuries.
Within 24 hours, Victoria’s left leg had been amputated below the knee; Kit’s right leg needed 12 operations to save it.
Appearing on today’s This Morning, Victoria revealed she is finally ready to start looking for love again after her harrowing ordeal and has joined a number of dating websites.
She admitted she’s struggling to get her head around how the dating landscape has changed since she was last looking for love 20 years ago.
Read more: Eamonn Holmes is urging Ruth Langsford to QUIT Strictly Come Dancing
She told Eamonn and his wife Ruth Langsford: “There’s often a big difference between ‘perception and reality’ and people looking nothing like their profile pictures.”
Eamonn then asked her how she approaches her dates.
“Do you sit down and say, ‘Hi, I am Victoria, I am a widow and I have this prosthetic leg’,” he asked.
Shocked viewers said it was out of order for Eamonn to ask such a thing.
Read more: Ruth Langsford branded “frumpy” by fans after latest outfit fail
The Irish presenter then got into hot water again at the end of the interview when he wished Victoria well in her quest to find love, quipping that he would “join the queue” if he was single – despite the fact his wife was sitting right beside him.
Viewers said he should be more respectful to Ruth.
Another said: “Oooh domestic!”
Strictly star Ruth took it all in her stride though and joked: “You have my blessing, off you trot.”