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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Rebecca Cook

This Morning fans horrified as Netflix's Our Father kids share fears of dating siblings

This Morning fans were left horrified on Wednesday as co-hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield interviewed two children of the infamous fertility doctor Donald Cline.

Netflix's latest true crime offering Our Father gives viewers an insight into the truly gruesome story of fertility doctor Cline, who was a once-respected fertility doctor from Indianapolis in the US.

He is believed to have artificially inseminated over 50 women with his own sperm in the 1970s and 80s.

At the time the Netflix show was released, there are 94 children who have been fathered by Cline.

Holly and Phillip interviewed the siblings Jason Hyatt and Jacoba Ballard remotely in the US on Wednesday as they detailed their mental health struggles after the discovery.

Holly and Phillip interviewed the siblings remotely in the US (ITV)

Holly said: “There’s so much going on for you. But I guess there’s other things to consider here as well.

“Once you realise there’s lots and lots of siblings all in a 25 mile radius, then I guess there’s the risk as well of inadvertently meeting a sibling, having a relationship with a sibling.

“Even now, 94 and counting, that list isn’t over. This still could possibly happen. Is that a very real thought?”

Jacoba Ballard, who was part of the original group that figured out what Cline had done, said it “absolutely” was.

“This is just terrible! These poor people!” (ITV)

She added: “Not for siblings only, but for kids. Kids that are older that meet an aunt or an uncle, not just a cousin.

“We’ve never been told when he started or when he stopped. We know he retired in 2009, so we could have siblings as young as 2009, 2010.”

This Morning fans were horrified by the chilling scheme, which wasn't actually illegal in Indiana at the time but, as a result of the campaign by Jacoba and others, was made illegal in Indiana.

Jacoba was part of the original group that figured out what Cline had done (ITV)

Taking to Twitter, one wrote: “This is horrific. I watched the documentary last night. How there has actually been no felony is absolutely beyond me. These poor families have been torn apart by this sicko.”

Another posted: “This is just terrible! These poor people!” as another wrote: “This is totally bizarre and just sick.”

“I watched the documentary the other day and it's appalling, disgusting and unbelievable,” another wrote.

"There’s the risk as well of inadvertently meeting a sibling, having a relationship with a sibling." (ITV)

“The abuse of his profession and the fact the judge pathetically let him off is an insult to all these people.”

Another social media user wrote: “Poor guy, this is horrendous,” as another said: “Wow. Sick is all I can say.”

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV and ITV Hub.

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