Phillip Schofield: This Morning host blasted over ‘insensitive’ remarks about Covid deaths
Philip Schofield questions whether pubs should reopen early
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This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield, 59, has been accused of making “insensitive comments” by some viewers of the ITV favourite show while presenting alongside Rochelle Humes, 32, earlier today. Following the announcement yesterday that the number of Covid-related deaths stood at four, the TV host questioned the government’s hesitance to reopen sections of the hospitality sector following the low statistic.
Some of these restaurants will never reopen, for the sake of four tragic deaths
Phillip Schofield
Speaking to the former Saturdays band member, who was filling in for usual host Holly Willoughby, Phillip addressed the impact of Covid restrictions on restaurants.
He said: “Tragic though every one of those deaths is, that’s four deaths in the UK that are keeping these places, right on the brink – some of them will never reopen.
“Some of these restaurants will never reopen, for the sake of four tragic deaths.”
Restaurants and bars are currently not permitted to serve customers indoors, but can do so outdoors, until May 17 when lockdown restrictions ease further.
Shocked viewers of the ITV morning show took to Twitter to weigh in on the presenter’s comments.
One social media user said that the ITV host had overstepped a boundary with his comment about Covid deaths.
They wrote: “@Schofe kind of crossed a line today with your insensitive comment about the deaths.
“You don’t know so it doesn’t matter to you? Wear a coat if you want to go out every night for one more month.”
Another agreed and added: “@schofe is so insensitive today, basically saying open everything, forget the four people who died they don’t matter!”
A third echoed the argument on social media.
They penned: “Phil is really insensitive lately.
“His interview yesterday was awful and now it doesn’t matter that 4 families have lost loved ones?”
Phillip’s comments come a day after he snapped at guest Matthew Wright, as he accused him of fear-mongering about the coronavirus.
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Despite Matthew telling Phillip and Rochelle he enjoyed a pint at his local pub over the weekend, he went on to point out that people may be asking: “What about the risk of the virus?’ It was nice to be normal.
“But, we have vaccinated – I don’t want to be the fear-mongerer,” Matthew explained.
“You’re the person I shout at over the weekend,” Phillip hit back.
“We need to live with it, rather than fear it,” Royal Editor Camilla Tominey chipped in.
“We can’t live in fear for the rest of our lives, can we?”
“This is my thing,” Phillip weighed in. “We have been here for over a year now and we have tried very hard as a programme to look at the breaking news.
“Make sure that it stands up, make sure it’s not hysterical, make sure we don’t knee-jerk react and then you look over the weekend and suddenly ‘Oh my God, there’s an Indian variant, this is something to be terrified about.’
“And for a weekend you get anxious about there could be an Indian variant and what it’s going to do.
“Then you look at the news today and it says, ‘Actually it’s not a great cause for concern.’ How dare you frighten me for another weekend.”
Express.co.uk has gone to Phillip’s representatives for comment.
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