Viewers of ITV’s This Morning expressed their dissatisfaction during the March 20 episode, which featured a live segment from Blackpool. The show, hosted by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, marked the International Day of Happiness with a series of joyful segments aimed at engaging the audience.

The segment presented by Will Best, well-known as the host of Big Brother, was set against the scenic backdrop of Blackpool beach, where he welcomed viewers by declaring, “Welcome to Blackpool! It’s a beautiful town that famous, of course, for its tower, its beach, its rock and ballroom dancing.” Standing on the famed comedy carpet that features various jokes, he emphasized the day’s theme of spreading happiness and introduced a new game called Dosh on our Doorstep.

In this game, passers-by on the beach had the chance to win cash by completing various tasks. Challenges included rummaging through a ball pit, demolishing sandcastles, and taking trivia quizzes about Blackpool. One of the light-hearted moments occurred when Will attempted to play the This Morning theme tune on a kazoo, but it was mistakenly identified as the theme for Coronation Street by contestant Kathleen. After Will nudged her, saying, “It’s a show that you’re currently on,” Kathleen humorously responded with “Good Morning Britain.” Will subsequently whispered the correct title to her, prompting Ben to state, “We got there in the end.”

Despite the intention of creating a fun atmosphere, not all viewers appreciated the segment. Many took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to voice their frustration. Comments included one viewer who found it “painful to watch,” along with another who remarked that the show’s content was “turning into kids TV every day now.” Some viewers criticized the segment’s setup, suggesting that the limited crowd gathered on the beach might not have welcomed the filming of what they deemed a “cringe segment.” A further comment captured the sentiments of several viewers, noting, “I’ve zoned out,” while another observer bluntly described the segment as “bottom barrel scraping.”

This Morning continues to air on weekdays at 10am on ITV, maintaining its approach to blend information with entertainment, despite the varied reception of its segments.

Source: Noah Wire Services