Good Morning Britain (GMB) viewers erupted in anger over Richard Madeley’s insensitive remark to a mother mourning the tragic death of her daughter after weight loss surgery.
A mother’s loss
The veteran presenter, no stranger to controversy, ignited the firestorm during an interview with Erin Gibson, whose 20-year-old daughter Morgan Ribeiro passed away shortly after a gastric sleeve procedure in Turkey.
The segment opened with the interviewers discussing Morgan’s decision to undergo the surgery abroad to escape lengthy NHS waiting times. As the video ended, Madeley, 67, prompted the grieving mother, visibly struggling with her emotions, with a question: “Are you alright?”
Madeley’s unsympathetic remark
Erin’s choked response, “Yes, sorry, that was a bit difficult to see,” was met with Madeley’s dismissive reply: “I can imagine. But you wanted us to show it so obviously we did.”
The remark landed like a bombshell, igniting a wave of criticism on social media.
Get Richard Madeley off my screen…insensitive prick
— Donna (@donnab2395) January 31, 2024
Viewers slammed Madeley’s insensitivity, accusing him of failing to display basic empathy towards a mother shattered by unimaginable loss.
https://twitter.com/WarrenPeace_75/status/1752593707906273367
Medical Tourism
Morgan’s tragic story unfolded earlier this month. Driven to escape the frustrating NHS backlog, she opted for the £2,500 surgery in Turkey. Her 19-year-old boyfriend accompanied her.
@m0rg4n.m4ri4 My surgery date is 5/1/24 IF YOU WANT TO FOLLOW MY JOURNEY IVE TAGGED MY WLS ACCOUNT ❤️
Initially given the green light to travel home after the procedure, Morgan fell ill on the flight and succumbed to septic shock after doctors discovered a lacerated small intestine leading to a fatal infection.
Erin, sharing a heartbreaking message of caution with the Independent, revealed Morgan’s lifelong struggles with body image and bullying.
“She’s always battled with her weight and been a bigger girl and she had a really rough time with it.”
– Erin Gibson (GMB Interview)
Madeley’s insensitive comment comes on the heels of another controversy just last year, landing him the dubious honor of being the third most complained-about TV moment of 2023. Whether this latest incident will prompt any action from ITV remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: viewers have made their displeasure abundantly clear.
@GMB is Richard Madeley the most tone deaf man in the world? Stop pushing your agenda that the poor girl coming back from surgery in Turkey died due to getting on plane. The flight didn't kill her, as her mother clearly stated it was a surgical error. He is painful to watch
— Wally (@dinowallypad) January 31, 2024
