Phil Spencer is beloved to the nation, but that changed back in 2021 after his trophy hunting controversy emerged.
At the time, fans took to social media to voice their disgust after images of the Love It Or List It star made their way online.
The gruesome pictures showed the Channel 4 favourite handling a dead deer after he had shot it.
Phil, 54, is known to many viewers for giving property advice alongside Kirstie Allsopp on the Channel 4 show Location, Location, Location.
However, the video and images that emerged showed a very different side to him.
Phil Spencer controversy explained
It originally aired in 2011 on the Fieldsports Channel, an online TV station. The clip showed Phil examining a dead deer and discussing his “cheeky shot”.
Phil was accompanying Kent farm manager Andy Crow on a night shoot, whose crops had been destroyed by deer.
The two started off shooting pigeons before moving on to the deer.
“I managed to get a cheeky shot on a slightly difficult angle,” said Phil in the video.
"It’s my first deer. It didn’t sound like I’d hit it, but I had. I am absolutely chuffed to bits. It has been my ambition to shoot a deer for a very, very long time.’" ~ @PhilSpencerTV.
Well done Phil ~ NOT!!!!#BanTrophyHunting NOW!!!! pic.twitter.com/O4ETHr4mro
— PROTECT ALL WILDLIFE (@Protect_Wldlife) November 5, 2021
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“It didn’t sound like I’d actually hit it. I am absolutely chuffed to bits. It has been my ambition to shoot a deer for a very, very long time.”
He added: “Thanks, Buddy. But I will remember you for as long as I shall live.”
As a result, there was a major backlash on Twitter.
“Wow. I will never watch a show with @PhilSpencerTV again @Channel4,” ranted one viewer.
“The way he’s yanking & slapping this poor dead deer around. Just needs a loincloth and chest-beating, and it’s like the evolution from Stone Age never happened,” complained another.
“Who fantasises about killing beautiful animals? Sick.”
What did Phil Spencer say about the backlash?
Meanwhile, following the backlash, Phil gave a statement to Mail Online.
As a result, he claimed that his act was “necessary” to protect the species from overpopulation.
“Around 100,000 deer are culled in the UK each year, not purely related to crop protection, but this is an absolutely necessary precaution against over-population. I took this particular animal home and it has since fed around 35 people,” he said.
“I’m sorry if killing such a beautiful animal is difficult for some people to stomach.
“But I would also hope that anyone who enjoys eating any type of meat stops to appreciate that their chicken, sheep, cow, pig etc also had to die in order to end up on their dinner plate – and almost certainly had a less fulfilling life than this wild fallow buck did,” he then concluded.
Love It Or List It is on today (July 6) on Channel 4 at 5.45pm.
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