This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield made an on-air apology to guest Barbara Lisicki after an unsuitable car was sent to collect the disability rights activist from her home.
The presenter, 59, also explained how the blunder resulted in the order of the ITV daytime show having to be reshuffled.
Addressing viewers, he began: “This is not how I’d like to start the show, but I’m going to start with an apology
“When I was preparing for this interview I was going to ask about how much are we progressing, are we getting any better.
“Then I find out the car company we use for this show – and we specifically asked them for a car that enables your access – but we had to change the order of the show today because they didn’t send a car you could get into.
“So we still have a long way to go,” he concluded.
Acknowledging his words, Ms Lisicki – who began showing signs of Still’s disease, a form of juvenile arthritis that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in her joints, when she was 14 – replied: “It’s one of life’s daily ironies. It’s a frustration that all disabled people encounter.
“You know, it’s big stuff, little stuff, but there’s always something that is a barrier just being able to get on with following your plans, or living your life.”
A key advocate for disabled rights since the 90s, she stars in new BBC docudrama Then Barbara Met Alan, which follows the story of herself and fellow activist Alan Holdsworth.
Airing on BBC 2, it highlights their campaign in which they chained themselves to buses and blocked streets.
Wheelchair users were also lifted from their chairs by police and laid down in the roads to try to deter them.
Schofield was joined by Josie Gibson, 37, who was filling in as co-host for show regular Holly Willoughby, 41, who is currently taking some time out to recover from Covid.
