This Morning viewers have likened the daytime magazine show to Charlie Brooker's dystopian thriller series Black Mirror following a segment on today's show (September 5). For some time, the ITV show has been hosting the 'Spin To Win' competition, which sees the presenters spin a huge wheel, awarding whatever cash prize the arrow lands on to the lucky caller.
However, the show took an unexpected twist today as, in addition to listing amounts of cash to be won, the wheel also gave the arrow the option of landing on an 'energy bills' segment as a prize, paid for by ITV. Introducing the change on this morning's show as Holly Willoughby giggled, Phillip Schofield said: "We've got 'we'll pay your energy bills', we've got a thousand pounds as well - so this is energy bills I think for four months if it stops on that."
When Phillip asked the caller if he was worried about his energy bills, he responded: "Major, yeah I've got one of these pre-payment meters and it's absolutely murder."
Preparing to spin the wheel, Phillip said: "Right, well let's hope it lands on one of those then."
Holly chipped in: "Whatever, you're going to win some money so don't worry, here we go."
As Phillip pushed the wheel and it began spinning, with the arrow preparing to land on one of the options, he rhymed: "Round and round it goes, where it stops, nobody knows. Da, da, da, da - thousand pounds or energy bills? Thousand pounds or energy bills?
As the wheel stopped, Phillip announced: "It is going to be... your energy bill! We are paying your energy bill for four months."
The caller sounded relieved as he realised he would no longer have to worry about his bills for now. He said: "Oh my god, thank you. Oh fantastic. Oh, what a relief. Thank you very much."
Despite the caller's relief, a clip of this segment of today's show has come under criticism on social media, with some likening it to Black Mirror due to its 'dystopian' nature. TV critic Scott Bryan said: "#ThisMorning has turned completely dystopian and Black Mirror by offering to pay energy bills as a competition prize."
He then added: "Honestly I’ve never seen anything so tone deaf in all my life."
One Twitter user, Banquo's Ghost, said of the clip: "This is what the UK has come to - where you can win FUEL and the chance to keep warm this winter on a morning TV show. Absolutely dystopian s**t. 'May the odds be ever in your favour'."
"In other country's you can win holidays, boats and cars," Haysey said, "Here you can win having your energy bills being paid. Being able to just afford your energy bill this winter is apparently a luxury prize now...FFS."
Owen wrote: "How does s*** like this make it through man. Does this not go through like 5 or 6 teams of people before making it live to air. Not one of them saw how tone deaf this is."
"This is the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever seen," said Bizzo Bond. "Imagine calling into a premium rate telephone competition to try and win your energy bills paid for you and were supposed to act like that’s normal. This country is an absolute disgrace."
Charli Clement said: "This is genuinely so horrifying. A glittery spin-the-wheel gamble to be able to heat your home and run your appliances. How are we here."
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