Good Morning Britain had viewers choking on their cornflakes this morning with a surprising segment about dining tables. Namely – should we even still have them?
After Nigella Lawson admitted that she regularly eats meals on the sofa, hosts Richard Madeley, Ranvir Singh and Charlotte Hawkins asked the public for their thoughts – stoking a raging debate.
Richard quipped: “Is it evil to have a ‘sofa supper’? If so, I’m going straight to hell!”
GMB also brought in posh etiquette expert William Hanson and a blogger and mother-of-five named Jess Warner to give their side of the debate.
William Hanson, of course, was of the opinion that all meals should be eaten at the table, with correct decorum.
Including eating with the correct utensils, keeping your back straight and your elbows firmly OFF the table.
However, he made a valid point about sitting up at a table actually being beneficial from a health perspective.
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He said: “The problem with it is you’re not sitting up straight which will help with digestion, you’re not looking at your food – and we eat with our eyes – when we see food we salivate, which helps us digest.”
Richard then let viewers into a bit of his family routine, saying: “I sit on the floor, Japanese style – Judy sits on one end of the sofa, watching the telly. It’s a great routine. We always watch the last two rounds of Pointless with a starter, and then we have the main course watching the news.”
And Jess Warner shared a picture with her boys eating at a breakfast bar, where they usually eat – although also being occupied by tablets, phones or the TV.
She said to William: “When it comes to conversation, there are so many opportunities to chat with the kids – especially with boys. You can talk in the car, doing exercise, doing what they like doing.”
And William retorted: “They can’t practise eating properly with a knife and fork in the car.”
But with celebrities including Mary Berry and Nigella Lawson admitting that their dining tables rarely get used, viewers of the show were split on the topic as well.
Many said that they use their dining table for every meal.
Although others were unable or unwilling to use their dining tables, preferring a more unconventional approach to dinnertime.
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As far as we’re concerned, we aren’t fussy. As long as there’s food available we’re happy at the table, on the sofa, sitting on the floor outside a kebab shop… anything goes!