Kate Garraway and Ben Shephard struggled to get a word in as two of their guests clashed on Good Morning Britain. The hosts were back at helm of the ITV news programme on Friday (May 20) when they discussed whether boxing as a sport is beneficial to young children.
It comes as the Government announced a new 'Turnaround' scheme to catch troubled young people teetering on edge of criminality and putting them back on the right track. It's been revealed that £300 million is being ploughed into the scheme, the b iggest funding package in a generation to tackle youth offending and cut crime.
Joining Ben and Kate on the show was boxing promotor and sports commentator Eddie Hern who argued the positives around discipline in sport and shared how he believes children should learn boxing to improve their behaviour. However, Headway campaigner Peter McCabe didn't agree due to the dangers the sport presents.
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But things quickly became heated between the pair as they argued their opposing points. "It irritates me that this notion that the only way for working-class boys to get on is to take up boxing," Peter said. "And as somebody who grew up on a council estate in one of the most deprived areas of the country, there are so many sports that teach discipline and encourage kids to train and work and have ambition.
"And those sports don't involve hitting somebody punching somebody in the head." He added: "The ultimate way to win a boxing contest is to render your opponent senseless..." Eddie then interjected: "That is so naïve," which prompted Peter to fume: "I didn't interrupt you."
Eddie hit back: "Well, I will interrupt you. You're not as educated as a boxer, as a fighter to go in and render your opponent anything." Peter tried to respond by saying: "You knock somebody out..." But he then fumed: "Please allow me to finish the point," before adding: "The ultimate victory in a boxing match is you knock somebody out and the referee counts to 10 and the person is concussed. They can't get up."
The pair continued to clash, trying to air their opinions, with Peter continuing to rage: "You're interrupting me again." Host Ben eventually got a word in and quipped: "This is the best ding dong we've had on the show and there's not even a ring."
Peter tried to encourage Eddie to visit people at his charity and as the pair went back and forth, Kate eventually concluded that Eddie should pay a visit to the charity Headway and that Peter watches a boxing match and that they be followed by the GMB cameras.
And the debate clearly divided GMB viewers too but it was more Peter and Eddie's clash that got them talking. @chibba_chris tweeted: "Looks like these 2 need a boxing ring to sort this out!! #GMB." @Itt39354118 wrote: "Is there gonna be a boxing match with these 2 #gmb."
