ITV Viewers Shocked as “This Morning” Segment from Two Years Ago Revealed as Hoax
ITV viewers were recently stunned to learn that a “This Morning” segment from two years ago, involving a heartfelt call about grieving Princess Diana, was actually a hoax. The daytime show, now hosted by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard following Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield’s departure, frequently features agony aunt Deidre Sanders to address viewers’ concerns.
In the 2022 segment, a caller named “Jennifer” claimed to be deeply shaken by the death of Princess Diana, which had occurred 25 years earlier. However, it has now been revealed that the call was entirely fake.
The revelation came to light when X user @d_a_v_e_m_a shared the clip, confessing, “Happy 2-year anniversary to when I tricked the #thismorning team into thinking I was someone called Jennifer and I was shaking at the death of Princess Diana.”
The clip shows stand-in hosts Rochelle Humes and Vernon Kay reading out “Jennifer’s” message, which stated: “I’m still grieving Princess Diana, I’m too upset to speak on air, but I can’t cope with Princess Diana’s death. She was my favorite, and I can’t move on after 25 years. Does Deidre have any advice? I’m shaking while writing this.”
Deidre Sanders responded with sincere advice, suggesting that the caller’s intense grief might be linked to an unresolved issue in her own life. She encouraged “Jennifer” to seek help to move forward, emphasizing that while Princess Diana’s death was tragic, it shouldn’t continue to dominate her life.
However, viewers were shocked to discover that the emotional plea was all a setup. The revelation sparked reactions on social media, with one fan account, @BigBrotherHubUK, exclaiming, “I was today years old when I found out this was fake.” Others expressed surprise that no one on the show had burst out laughing during the segment.
While some praised Deidre’s “sound advice” despite the hoax, her guidance has not always been well-received. Earlier this year, she faced criticism for advising a caller to reconcile with her cheating husband, prompting backlash from viewers who disagreed with her approach. The incident has left many reflecting on the authenticity of live TV segments, and the potential for even well-meaning advice to be based on false premises.