This Morning has faced criticism for running a competition where viewers can win the price of their energy bills for four months.
The segment from the ITV morning show has been likened to Black Mirror with viewers calling it “tone deaf”.
Hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were on the phone to the contestant when they spun a wheel of prizes featuring ‘energy bills’ and ‘£1,000’.
Phillip asked the contestant: “How are your energy bills, are you worried at all?”
#ThisMorning has turned completely dystopian and Black Mirror by offering to pay energy bills as a competition prize. pic.twitter.com/hs1DD6NXbo
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) September 5, 2022
To which he said: “Major yeah. I’ve got one of these prepayment meters and its absolutely murder.”
Phillip responded: “Well let’s hope it lands on one of those then.”
The competition has come under fire from viewers with some branding it “disgusting”.
Taking to Twitter one said: “people are going to freeze to death this year because of energy crisis. turning it into light entertainment is beyond bleak.”
Another added: “What a sad state of affairs that energy bills are now a competition prize.”
Cost of living support for energy bills
The price cap is set to rise to £3,549 on October 1, Ofgem confirmed, an 80% increase on the previous figure of £1,971.
The price cap figure of £3,549 applies to homes on default tariffs paying by direct debit and based on typical use.
Government support is available to help people pay their energy bills.
Households will start receiving money off their energy bills from October, with the discount made in six instalments.
A discount of £66 will be applied to energy bills in October and November, rising to £67 each month from December through to March 2023.
Further Government support includes a £650 one-off cost-of-living payment for around eight million households on means-tested benefits.
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