Richard Madeley had viewers flocking to social media in complete disbelief as he told a guest to 'jog on' during his latest stint on Good Morning Britain. After a brief break, the presenter returned to the helm of the ITV news programme on Monday alongside Kate Garraway.
However, in a change to the usual programme, the pair hosted the show live from a Merseyside hospital as they attempted to shine a light on the NHS Frontline amid plans for strikes in the next week. The format shake-up did divide viewers but on Tuesday, it was back to normal as the pair were back in ITV's London-based studio.
Among the guests on the latest edition of the show was union boss Mick Lynch. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) general secretary made an appearance on the programme as a month of rail disruption began this morning, with workers walking out in the first of a wave of 48-hour strikes, as nurses also prepare to take unprecedented industrial action.
Mr Lynch was live from Euston Station but it wasn't long before there was a tetchy exchange between Richard and Mr Lynch as the union leader accused the former This Morning host of "ranting" and suggested Richard should interview himself. Richard put it to Mr Lynch that the rail strikes were targeting people at Christmas and could put hoteliers, restauranteurs and retailers out of business during a normally busy time of year.
But the RMT general secretary replied: "We’re not targeting Christmas, it isn’t Christmas yet, Richard, I don’t know when your Christmas starts but mine starts on Christmas Eve." As Mr Lynch spoke, an irked Richard branded his statement as "disingenuous", adding: "Commercial Christmas starts in December, you know that!"
The pair then began to clash after Richard asked his next question, with Mr Lynch unable to fully respond as Richard shut him down and called out some of his claims. As Mr Lynch accused him of 'ranting', Richard argued: "I won't let you get away with nonsense. Christmas doesn't start on Christmas Eve, let's just be clear. It starts in early December and that's what we're talking about."
Mr Lynch then replied: "Richard, why don’t you just interview yourself?" Bur Richard clapped back: "Cheap point, Mr Lynch. I'm holding you to account on behalf of viewers, not on behalf of myself. I'm not interested in the sound of my own voice, I want to hear yours answering the question."
As Richard said he wanted to know why they were 'targeting Christmas' Mr Lynch said; "Why don't you stop talking for a second." But Richard said: "Because you won't answer the question and until you do, I'll keep interrupting. On you go, jog on!" As they prepared to go back and forth once more, Kate interjected: "Okay, please talk Mr Lynch. You speak..." as Richard repeated his question to the union boss.
But it was Richard's response which came as a surprise to viewers. @CraigStoneUK tweeted: "#gmb @gmb Richard telling the person he’s interviewing to 'jog on' Why is he back on our screen?" @blondeinktweets said: "Saying 'What happened to Christmas kindness?' and 'jog on'. Richard is doing an awful job of this #gmb."
@pm83 wrote: "As if Richard just told Mick Lynch to jog on #gmb." @BoogieBrown43 posted: "Jog on. Really? #GMB." @littley1974 added: "There is a bonus to enforced waking up to #GMB. Richard Madeley having a spat with Mick Lynch of the RMT, telling him to jog on, losing the battle then looking angry and red faced... Wonder what the people in his earpiece are saying to him! Holding his tongue a bit now..."
Mr Lynch eventually told the programme: "I have no intention of spoiling people’s Christmas. The Government is contributing to that spoiling of the people’s Christmas because they’ve brought these strikes on by stopping the companies from making suitable proposals.
“That’s the position that we’re in and we’ll have to keep this dispute going until we get a reasonable settlement and a reasonable set of proposals that our members want to accept." He added: “We’ve still got plenty of time before the Christmas Eve strikes if (Network Rail chief executive) Andrew Haines and the train operating companies, Huw Merriman the rail minister, and Mark Harper the Secretary of State, want to come to me with a set of serious proposals to improve their offer so that we can get a settlement to the dispute, we’ll come over and see them as soon as possible.
"They’ve already invited me to a set of talks and we’ll attend those to try and get a settlement to this dispute. And when our members decide that they want to accept it, that’s when the dispute will be finished."
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