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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Jessica Sansome

Martin Lewis bashes desk on ITV This Morning over 'devastating' energy increases

Martin Lewis' frustration was clear to see as he appeared on This Morning on Thursday. It comes after a heavy TV and radio presence from the Money Saving Expert founder ahead of energy prices rocketing on Friday (April 1).

On Wednesday Martin joined Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain for a historic who as it was turned into a two-hour cost of living special after Susanna initially started the ITV news programme solo.

He then went on to appear on Lorraine Kelly's self-titled ITV show before appearing on Thursday's This Morning where he revealed that the average household could expect to be billed an additional £700 per year amid rising energy costs. He also warned that prices were also expected to go up by another 25 percent in October 2022.

READ MORE: ITV Good Morning Britain viewers complain as Ben Shephard says Will Smith's Chris Rock slap 'triggers him'

Speaking about the "devastating" energy crisis, the 49-year-old money expert admitted to hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield "didn't have the answers" and said: "I would challenge any politician to have my mailbag. It is desperate. I sit with my head in my hands at my desk time and time again and I read a message with frustration."

As he made the comment he banged the desk in front of him in his home office as he appeared via video link with the slam of the table leaving his camera wobbling.

He added: "I don't have an answer. When you're on the lowest income, the help out there is not enough. There is no way to balance your books. I've talked to the chief executive of Citizens Advice and we had a moan fest together saying 'all these tools we've got are predicated on people being able to reduce their expenditure below their income' but that isn't the case."

Martin was talking about the energy price rise on This Morning (ITV)

Prior to expressing his frustration, Philip started their conversation by asking: "Martin, if we have a harsh winter, if that happens to be particularly harsh then people won't be able to afford to heat their houses.

"Already there are a great many people who are choosing between heating and eating but on top of these huge price increases. A potential cold winter could be utterly catastrophic."

Martin left a pause before replying: "Yes... I haven't got much more to say. It's devastating," before adding: "I was presenting Good Morning Britain yesterday and I said to Dominic Raab, who is the deputy prime minister.

Martin on GMB earlier this week (mirror.co.uk)

"They're saying we don't know what happening in October. Well, I think we do. The October price cap is based on wholesale energy rates from the beginning of February till the end of the July. We've got two months of very high prices bagged into the algorithm.

Martin said: "So we know it's going up in October, the exact rate we don't know. And what I really want them to do [government] because you have to look at the mental health as well as well as the physical health. "If people don't have enough money to eat or to heat their homes that is a real problem but equally the panic and anxiety."

It is then he challenged the government to see the messages he receives from people and caused surprise with banging on the desk.

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