Good Morning Britain’s Richard Madeley entered hot water on the Wednesday instalment of the ITV morning programme during a conversation on National Health Service funding.
The 65-year-old ITV presenter sat alongside Kate Garraway and were joined by journalist commentators Kevin Maguire and Andrew Pierce in the studio, as well as Dr Hilary Jones.
Host Richard posed the question of whether the “great sprawling web called the NHS needs root and branch reform”, which Kevin immediately took issue with.
He replied: “It’s very pejorative to call it a big sprawling web. That’s how people begin to demonise it and run it down.”
Kevin then went on to reference a report that found catastrophic failings at Shrewsbury and Telford NHS Hospitals Trust contributed to hundreds of babies' deaths over 20 years.
He continued: “I’m not going to apologise for mistakes that happened in Shrewsbury and Telford in maternity services, but it’s a precious public service.
“It’s a matter of life and death for some people. I’m not going to say it’s all run well, but you need it.”
He then added to Richard: “I just think your language there demonises it.”
But the ITV host later responded saying he would put himself “in the firing line”, saying to Kevin: “If somebody like me, without an agenda, is going to say, is it time we took a root and branch look at how it’s funded, to then say that’s demonising the NHS shuts down discussion.”
Kevin then came back saying: “Alright, alright, when you say that what do you mean? Pay privately?”
Richard came back saying: “I hope not,” to which Kevin responded: “So then it’s going to be paid from taxation.”
This comes after Richard yesterday on Good Morning Britain was criticised after questioning why rape was a weapon of war.
The presenter discussed the latest horrifying allegations that Russian troops have used rape as a 'weapon of war' against Ukrainian civilians.
The UK's ambassador to Ukraine said yesterday she was aware of reports of women and girls being raped in front of their families, describing it as a "deliberate act of subjugation".
Kate and Richard were joined by Chip Chapman, Former Senior British Adviser to US central command, who gave his analysis on the situation.
After discussing the heartbreaking testimony uncovered by human rights groups, Richard had asked: "Chip, we've said something that was widely reported this morning that rape was used as a weapon of war. How exactly is rape a weapon of war?"
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.
