This Morning’s on-screen psychologist Emma Kenny DENIES she’s been ditched from show and claims she’s signed a new contract… after vowing to ignore COVID-19 lockdown rules
- Emma had appeared on This Morning up to three times a week over past year
- The psychologist took to Twitter on Sunday morning to deny she’d been axed
- She provoked controversy with her public outbursts over COVID-19 tier system
- Chiefs are thought to have worried posts may have attracted Ofcom’s attention
This Morning psychologist Emma Kenny has denied reports she’s been dropped from the show, after posting a string of tweets vowing to ignore COVID-19 restrictions.
The TV personality took to her Twitter account on Sunday morning to claim that she has signed a new contract with the daytime ITV show, after admitting her on-air appearances have attracted an avalanche of complaints from viewers.
She wrote on the micro-blogging platform, in part: ‘I’ve just signed a new contract with This Morning and count the staff and many presenters as friends. Thanks for the messages of support.’
Denied: This Morning psychologist Emma Kenny has denied reports she’s been dropped from the show, after posting a string of tweets vowing to ignore COVID-19 restrictions
MailOnline has contacted representatives for This Morning for further comment.
Emma Kenny has appeared up to three times a week over the past year, but provoked controversy with her public outbursts when the Government’s tier system was brought in last year to limit the pandemic’s spread.
TV chiefs are thought to have had concerns that their expert guest’s anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine social-media posts may have attracted the attention of broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.
This Morning bosses have faced criticism for presenting Ms Kenny as a resident expert trusted by millions of viewers for her insight on emotional problems while failing to act over her off-screen comments.
Contract claims: The TV personality took to her Twitter account on Sunday morning to claim that she has signed a new contract with the ITV daytime show
One source said: ‘Those at the top put up with it for a few months but it got to the point where the backlash was too much.’
Ms Kenny has not appeared on her regular slot, in which she answers viewers’ calls about their problems, since November 28. Radio host Vanessa Feltz has instead taken part in an ‘agony aunt’ segment.
The Manchester-based broadcaster, who describes herself as ‘one of the UK’s leading TV psychological experts’ on her website, prompted a furious backlash when she insisted on Twitter that she would not be abiding by the Government’s tier system of restrictions when it was introduced last year.
She wrote: ‘Just want to check in with you @BorisJohnson and @Matt Hancock just to politely inform you that I’m declining your tiers because you have no evidence to base them on! The law of the land must be based on the interests of the population. I’m taking back my kids’ future.’
Tweet: She wrote, ‘Just want to check in with you @BorisJohnson and @Matt Hancock just to politely inform you that I’m declining your tiers because you have no evidence to base them on’
In another tweet, Emma insisted she would defy the rules by continuing to socialise, saying: ‘I’m going to have parties, see my friends, invite EVERYONE around! I’m going to visit elderly neighbours and take cake, I’m not wearing a mask and I’m going to do what as a human I was born to do… socialise.’
She also suggested that ‘vaccines will damage more children than they will help’ and alleged that ‘mandated vaccines mean child abuse’. Her outburst followed a report that Australian airline Qantas airline would require passengers to be vaccinated before being allowed to fly.
As recently as last Friday, Emma was continuing to voice her scepticism over the Government’s handling of the COVID crisis, saying: ‘I don’t want anyone to die, but the studies that are out state that lockdowns are doing more harm than good.
‘If you want to protect the NHS you will go down the path that does the most good. This would involve listening to the research. Why are we not listening?’
Absent: Emma has not appeared on her regular slot, in which she answers viewers’ calls about their problems, since November 28 (pictured in October)
Tweets: Emma has made her views on wearing masks and lockdown clear in several tweets
What’s gone on? Emma said ‘god I hope not’ when asked if she had left This Morning
A This Morning source confirmed that Miss Kenny hasn’t been on for some time, saying: ‘We aren’t using as many experts at the moment.’
Meanwhile, an ITV spokesperson said: ‘Emma Kenny is one of a host of expert contributors we continue to feature on the show.’
Emma Kenny did not respond to requests for comment.
Dr Sara Kayat, a London-based GP who has appeared on This Morning, has already caused controversy for making inaccurate statements on the show.
More than 150 complaints were made to Ofcom after she told viewers on January 4 that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine was ‘100 per cent effective against hospitalisation and death’ after the first dose.
Experts believe a single dose of the Oxford vaccine is actually about 70 per cent effective against COVID-19 across all ages.
Comment: Meanwhile, an ITV spokesperson said of the physiologist, ‘Emma Kenny is one of a host of expert contributors we continue to feature on the show’
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