This Morning presenters Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond were criticised by viewers after laughing as a caller discussed her unusual phobia today (Friday February 12).
Dermot and Alison couldn’t hold back their giggles on the show as one viewer described her fear of terracotta pots.
And this lack of tact caused more viewers to complain on Twitter.
What happened on This Morning with Dermot and Alison?
The duo welcomed resident psychotherapists the Speakmans onto the show to talk about phobias.
During the segment, the quartet took calls from viewers and tried to help them with their often crippling irrational fears.
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However, when viewer Lulu called in, they weren’t prepared for the nature of her phobia.
The phobia was a fear of terracotta pots.
What was Lulu’s unusual phobia?
Lulu explained that the phobia appeared when she was involved in a road accident with her father and a terracotta pot.
Dermot and Alison smiled as Lulu told her story but lost it when Nik and Eva Speakman issued their advice.
They told her to view the terracotta pot as much of a victim of the crash as she was.
That’s when Dermot and Alison couldn’t back any more.
Subsequently, viewers took to social media to blast the duo.
Shame on @AlisonHammond and dermot for laughing through phobias. It's not funny . #ThisMorning
— savanah smythe (@SavanahhSmithe) February 12, 2021
unacceptable for Dermot & Alison to be laughing at the lady who had a Terracotta phobia. #bekind #ThisMorning
— Gail Stewardson (@Ellies113) February 12, 2021
#ThisMorning poor caller Lulu with Alison and Dermot laughing at her stressing phobia. The show is going down the drain 😐
— Sharlene Wan (@SharleneWan) February 12, 2021
How did viewers react?
One viewer wrote: “#ThisMorning poor caller Lulu with Alison and Dermot laughing at her stressing phobia.
“The show is going down the drain.”
Another said: “Shame on @AlisonHammond and Dermot for laughing through phobias.
“It’s not funny.”
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Finally, a third wrote: “I’m actually uncomfortable that Alison and Dermot are laughing & still smirking at people’s phobias.
“It must be embarrassing and probably nerve-wracking to even call up and put your phobia on display.”
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