ITV GMBs Susanna Reid reacts to calls for Richard Madeley to be sacked

Susanna Reid has slammed calls for ITV to sack her Good Morning Britain co-host Richard Madeley.

Last month, Richard, 67, was forced to apologise after asking British-Palestinian MP Layla Moran if she was aware of Hamas' plans to conduct their terror attack in Israel before it happened.

Richard asked the MP if there was "any word on the street" before Hama attacked Israel on October 7.

ITV later said Richard was "sorry that he upset viewers" with his choice of words and "did not mean to imply that she or her family might have had any prior knowledge of the attacks".

They added he wanted to "understand the mood and atmosphere" of the situation.

Layla Moran accepted the apology, saying she "didn't feel that it came from a place of malice… perhaps ignorance."

Now, Richard's co-host Susanna, 52, has shared her thoughts on the incident and admitted although Richard is a "bit bolder with his wording", he is a "legend in broadcasting".

She told The Sun: "Richard Madeley is a legend in broadcasting. He's the founder of This Morning, he's been doing it longer than any of us and he's got a particular way with politicians. If they don't want to answer the questions, he'll end the interview he did it with Gavin Williamson when he was Defence Secretary.

"Richard is a bit bolder sometimes with his wording, but I think a lot of viewers wonder why other people get offended by what he's said.

"Layla Moran dealt with that with enormous grace and she wasn't offended. When she was asked about it subsequently, she said it was a total distraction from the real issue. I think Richard brings so much to the programme, including a really loyal audience."

However, some viewers may disagree with Susanna's stance, with Richard recently being slammed as "insensitive" while interviewing Coronation Street star Peter Ash about Motor Neuron Disease.

Peter appeared on GMB alongside Sam Hayden-Harler, who was diagnosed with the condition at age 35, to talk about how he was helping him with the hard-hitting storyline.

But viewers were less than impressed when Richard said: "Peter, let's get down to the nitty-gritty, what does he show you to do in terms of movement?"

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one person wrote: "Madeley needs to be taken off air. He has zero tact."

Another added: "How cringe-worthy is Madeley. How can he get things so wrong so many times?" While a third penned: "He'll ask how long he's got left next."

"Richard Madeley has the sensitivity of a wrecking ball! Why do the powers that be at #GMB allow this idiot anywhere near such sensitive topics?" said a fourth.

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