This Morning viewers took to social media to express their shock following a sex-themed segment that aired on Thursday’s programme.
Hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard welcomed a couple named Karen and Ray to the ITV show, who agreed to test ‘female Viagra’ live on air.
After Karen took the supplement, the pair headed off to a nearby hotel, promising to return later with an update on the drug’s effects. While Karen was optimistic, saying, “I’m looking forward to it” as she left, some audience members were not amused, the Mirror reports.
Viewers took to X to fume about the segment as one exclaimed, “What the bloody hell am I watching? Television X? ”
Another predicted a risqué future for the show, commenting, “They will have guests having sex on air the way this show is going.”
Additional criticism came with remarks like “This is an abysmal segment for 10 in the morning,” and questions about the show’s standards: “How low does this show get? ”
During the discussion, host Ben Shephard reminded the couple, “you are doing this on live television,” as Ray replied: “Just the tablets! ” amidst Karen’s laughter.
Shephard ensured they were comfortable proceeding to the hotel and returning to report back, and the couple confirmed they had no reservations about participating in the experiment.
Karen took the tablet while Cat asked resident doctor Zoe Williams about the pill’s ingredients. She explained: “There are two supplements that some studies support the notion that they can help with libido, one is called maca root which is a Peruvian root, and the other is fenugreek, which raises testosterone levels”.
Karen and Ray then left, with Ben informing them they had approximately two hours to test the pill before returning to the studio to share their experiences. This experiment mirrors one conducted nearly 30 years ago on the show, hosted by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan at the time.
Three couples were given the then-new male pill Viagra, spent time in a hotel, and reported back on their experiences an hour and a half later. In a Channel 5 documentary about their careers aired last year, Richard and Judy reflected on the segment.
Judy said: “Looking back now, yes I’m sure it was incredibly crude but at the same time it felt very energetic and very vibrant.”
Richard added: “Everybody was talking about viagra, we went a step further and we tested it live on air.”
In nostalgic footage shown by Channel 5, viewers saw Richard delicately ask one of the participants: “Put it this way then, I’ll choose my words carefully, was it what you hoped for? “Was it everything you hoped for and more?”
The woman’s positive response, amidst studio laughter and her joking reluctance to return to work, suggested the experiment was a success.
Judy disclosed: “There was a producer prowling up and down the corridor outside their rooms in the hotel with walkie-talkies. It’s just absolutely, looking back now it’s awful!”.
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.