Richard Madeley has come under fire after Good Morning Britain viewers branded his Olivia Newton-John tribute as "creepy".
The broadcaster fronted today's edition of the ITV news programme alongside Charlotte Hawkins. The anchors honoured the Grease star's legacy after she died yesterday aged 73 following a battle with cancer.
They were joined by Olivia's close friend, Jane Seymour, who said she "changed the world". The Bond Girl added: "She cared about everybody else and made a huge difference.
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"Her legacy is extraordinary. Not just as a performer but as a friend and a champion of people who are dealing with cancer." Richard also honoured Olivia's memory and said he always "regretted" not being able to interview her.
The broadcaster went on to recall an iconic poster of Olivia that was pinned on the walls of his office in the 70s. He said: "That publicity picture, I don’t know if you can see it on your end, let’s see that again, the one with the denim shirt.
"There’s a picture we’re showing of her here, it was a very famous poster of her in the 1970s. She’s just looking at the camera, she’s backlit by sunshine, her hair’s down, she’s wearing a denim shirt.
"And I was saying earlier in the programme that poster was on the wall of a radio station I used to work in back in the 1970s and, I’m not exaggerating, it basically stopped traffic in the corridors. It was up there for months and even after months, the guys would just stop and look at it.
"And (they) just get lost in her beauty and I would have loved to have told her that." Viewers following the show on Twitter criticised the tribute.
Fi said: "Richard Madeley reducing ONJs achievements down to he and his colleagues letching over her "beauty" in a poster of her that was in his office space back in the day. Insulting, inappropriate and very, very creepy.."
Ella posted: "Madeley being creepy again"
@ColdRFusion commented : "Ugh make Madeley stop"
Joe tweeted: "Richard Madeley explaining how he & male colleagues used to just stare at a poster of Olivia Newton John is the most Partridge I've ever seen him"
The ECHO has approached ITV for comment.
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