Good Morning Britain is reportedly facing a “crisis” concerning presenter Ed Balls, according to sources.
The 57-year-old host has been noticeably absent from the GMB set for several weeks. This follows a lengthy break that began amid a flurry of Ofcom complaints after he conducted an on-air interview with his wife, Yvette Cooper.
Amidst the unfolding drama of “Taylorgate” involving his wife, the Home Secretary of State, ITV staff are said to be in the throes of urgent discussions. Mail Online has described a charged atmosphere at GMB after Yvette Cooper became entangled in the Taylorgate affair.
A source from within GMB has suggested there are “serious disagreements” among the team about how to proceed, but they also noted efforts are being made to “trying to find a solution” as Ed is well-regarded by his colleagues, reports the Express.
An ITV insider has confirmed that Ed Balls will return to the show at the end of October following his brief hiatus.
The controversy stems from reports that Prime Minister Keir had a meeting with Taylor Swift and her mother at Wembley, where police were allegedly instructed to provide VIP security funded by taxpayers.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister took the opportunity to introduce his family to the famous singer. While Taylorgate has seemingly exacerbated Ed’s situation on GMB, it’s not the sole issue that has recently rocked the programme.
In August of this year, GMB was inundated with 15,000 Ofcom complaints after Ed Balls interviewed his wife live on the show—a stint that left viewers reeling and reporting the discussion to the Watchdog.
At the time, viewers questioned Ed’s ability to remain impartial, with some calling the situation “ridiculous” and proposing that a different presenter should have stepped in to take over the on-air chat.
Nonetheless, GMB responded with a statement saying: “Following a weekend of rioting and national unrest, GMB featured a range of interviews and discussion around this national emergency on today’s programme which included James Cleverly, shadow home secretary, and Yvette Cooper, home secretary.
“We are satisfied that these interviews were balanced, fair, and duly impartial.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1, from 9am.