This Morning: Phillip Schofield Responds to Criticism of Energy Bills Spin To Win Game

Phillip Schofield replied after a clip of a This morning Call-in play prompted widespread disapproval on social media.

On the Monday (September 5) edition of ITV’s daily lifestyle programme, Schofield and co-host Holly Willoughby played a ‘Spin To Win’ game in which viewers can win a randomly selected prize from a wheel.

One of the new additions to the prize list, along with cash, was the program that covered the winner’s energy costs for four months to help deal with the cost of living crisis.

Monday’s caller ended up winning the energy bill prize and responded with audible relief when he described the handling of his current bills as “absolute murder”.

After the clip was uploaded online, thousands of people took to social media to express their shock that paying energy bills was being offered as a prize, with many describing the state of affairs as “dystopian”.

On Tuesday’s (September 6) episode, Schofield appeared to bring up the conversation about the game while playing the day’s round. In addition to household bills, cash prizes of £1,000 and £3,000 were up for grabs.

“I wonder how much of that they can complain about online,” he remarked, at which Willoughby chuckled.

This comment was also criticized by some viewers.

“I mean it’s bad enough making a game of the fact that so many people are going to struggle to pay their energy bills,” one viewer wrote on Twitter. “But then to try and cast shade on those who are rightly complaining about how gross it is? Shame on you.”

Another person wrote: “Completely deaf. That is beyond ignorant.”

The Independent has reached out to ITV for comment.