This Morning has been hit by official complaints after viewers were left stunned by a change to the show's Spin To Win game. During the first show of the week on Monday (September 5) Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield returned following their long summer break.
But not only were the hosting duo back, they were joined by the ITV daytime programme's popular game as it was temporarily retired in their absence. To mark its comeback, viewers had two chances to be chosen to play. The game usually sees a lucky fan of the show given the chance to win up to £3,000 with other, smaller prizes in between which has previously ranged from cash to trips out.
However, as Holly, 41, and Phillip, 60, introduced the game, they revealed a new prize had been introduced. While cash prizes of £1,000 and £3,000 were still up for grabs on the wheel, energy bills were also added, meaning the show will pay the lucky winner's energy bills for four months if they land on it.
Then on Tuesday's show (September 6) the game switched energy bills to household bills. And viewers were surprised by the 'frightening' change as they took to social media to comment on how the Cost of Living crisis has come to people needing to win their energy bills being paid.
@mikepriestley13 shared: "How bad is the country at when a prize on the wheel is paying you’re energy bill #ThisMorning." @Tullykenny replied: "Struck me right away. Actually, depressing and very alarming." @YasminClarke38 noted: "Honestly this is frightening stuff."
It has now been confirmed that broadcasting watchdog Ofcom received 170 official complaints from upset viewers. The Manchester Evening News contacted This Morning reps for comment.
The game returned to its usual cash prizes-only format on Wednesday (September 7). The latest change came just before the new Prime Minister confirmed that she would set out her package of support to deal with soaring energy bills. Liz Truss was elected as the new Tory leader earlier this week before officially being given permission by the Queen to form a government on Wednesday.
Today (Wednesday) she took part in her first Prime Minister’s Questions as the country's new leader. Labour's Sir Keir Starmer told the House of Commons that “energy producers will make £170bn in excess profits over the next two years”. He added: “The Prime Minister knows she has now choice but to back an energy price freeze, but it won’t be cheap and the real choice, the political choice is who is going to pay."
"Is she really telling us that she is going to leave this vast excess profits on the table and make working people foot the bill for decades to come?" he then asked.
Ms Truss replied that she understood people were "struggling with the cost of living" and energy bills, adding: "That is why I as Prime Minister will take immediate action to help people with the cost of their energy bills and I will be making an announcement to this House on that tomorrow."
The Prime Minister added she would reform the UK’s overall energy mix by building more nuclear power stations and exploring more fossil fuel supplies in the North Sea. It comes after warnings that the annual industry and domestic consumer spend on energy is estimated to triple if the October price increase goes ahead, according to experts.
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