ITV This Morning sparks outrage for ‘shocking decision’ during Armistice Day silence: ‘Disrespect all round!’
This Morning viewers have slammed the show after presenter Cat Deeley appeared to speak to viewers before the annual two-minute silence on Armistice Day had ended.
During Monday’s show, Deeley and co-host Alison Hammond honoured service personnel of past and present by dedicating a segment to war medals that belonged to the fallen and speaking to Afghanistan war hero Ben McBean.
And ITV bosses, much like other UK channels, decided to cut to the Cenotaph in London at 11am to observe the annual two-minute silence in memory of the nation’s fallen heroes.
During the interview with McBean, Deeley explained: “We’re going to go celebrate now with the rest of everybody with the memorial.
“It is the 11th of November and as we approach 11 o’clock, it is time for us to pay our respects and join the nation for a two-minute silence where we’ll remember those who served and still serve our country.”
This Morning then shot to a live feed of Big Ben as it chimed at the 11am mark before it showed live footage of the Cenotaph.
The cameras then transported viewers to memorial services in Cardiff, Edinburgh, and Belfast as well as Westminster Abbey.
A few seconds later, the feed returned to the Cenotaph where service men and women continued to pay their respects and observe the silence but before the time was up, ITV decided to return coverage to the This Morning studio.
Despite it being clear the silence was still being observed at the Cenotaph, Deeley said to ITV viewers: “Incredibly moving scenes there, you’re watching This Morning on ITV1. Ben McBean has stayed with us.”
She then asked the war hero why Armistice Day was such an important part of history before ITV weather presenter Phillipa Drew delivered the latest forecast.
The decision to cut back to Deeley while mourners were still observing the silence at the Cenotaph sparked uproar among ITV viewers at home who soon flooded social media with their fury.
On X, one viewer penned: “#Thismorning two minutes silence once a year too much to ask to acknowledge the debt we owe those who fought for our freedom. Shocking decision @itv @thismorning.”
“ITV even cut into the two minutes silence. Disrespect all round. Shame on you @ITV #ThisMorning,” a second agreed before a third weighed in: “Well done #ThisMorning for breaking into the two minute silence before it had even bl**dy finished.. So bl**dy disrespectful!”
Meanwhile, a fourth commented: “Totally agree with this, was thinking the same. I changed to bbc due to this just now, shame on you ITV.”
And a fifth blasted: “@thismorning still ploughing on trying to convince us they are caring about the lives lost during war, sorry we have to stop there to go to Andi and the competition details.
“Shameful they didn’t respect the full two mins silence #RemembranceDay2024 #RemembanceDay #ThisMorning.”
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The decision to cut back to Deeley and Hammond on Armistice Day comes 24 hours after the channel faced similar criticism on Remembrance Sunday.
During Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend, which is pre-recorded, the channel failed to cut away to observe the silence at 11am.
Social media was again flooded with outrage, with one saying on Sunday morning: “@ITV watched Alan Titchmarsh, shame you couldn’t squeeze a 2 min silence into a recorded programme. Is this a [middle finger] to Remembrance Sunday??”
A second echoed: “Shame on @itv for ignoring the war dead and not broadcasting the two minutes silence at the cenotaph. Absolutely shameful.” (sic)
