This Morning Viewers Slam ITV Show as ‘A Waste of Time’ Over Controversial Debate
This Morning’s latest episode on Monday, February 3, left viewers in a state of bemusement as hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley welcomed former shoplifter Farrah McNutt onto the show. The segment, which diverged from the usual format of the beloved ITV program, featured Farrah recounting her past misdemeanors, including an incident where she stole a bouncy castle, a story that sparked both incredulity and discussion among the audience.
Farrah, who has since turned her life around and now runs a thriving business—Catch A Thief—that assists shop owners in safeguarding their merchandise, candidly discussed how she managed to commit her acts of shoplifting. “No it’s about the confidence of the shoplifting, I literally went to the till and said ‘Can I have the biggest bag you got’ which at this time was the biggest bag. I went up to the thing and walked straight,” she explained, reported by the Mirror.
Her straightforward account of her past, which she detailed with a mix of candor and self-deprecating humor, was met with fascination by both the hosts and the live audience. During the interview, Cat Deeley quizzed Farrah on her more memorable exploits, asking, “How did you steal a bouncy castle?
That must have been a big coat.” Ben Shephard chimed in with his own observation: “So it’s about confidence and front!” Their light-hearted banter underscored the remarkable transformation Farrah has undergone—from a life of petty crime to establishing herself as a reputable entrepreneur who now works to foil potential felons.
While Farrah’s narrative of redemption resonated with some, the segment also provoked criticism on social media. According to Wales Online, viewers took to platform X with mixed reactions. One fan questioned, “Why are they wasting time interviewing a thief?”
Another disgruntled viewer tweeted, “Bottom of the barrel TV this,” while yet another commented, “Giving a thief airtime now ITV – Why?!?” A third viewer went further, asking, “Are This Morning and Ben Shepherd promoting shoplifting?” and a fourth remarked, “Ok, so let’s start off with the sympathy story, then the fact she shoplifted a bouncy castle is completely ok!”
Despite the negative feedback from some quarters, Farrah’s journey from a troubled past to a successful business owner has been inspirational for many. In an interview with The Sun, she reflected on her early days, saying, “When I first shoplifted it was for necessities but when there’s no consequences you keep going. People told me no one’s being harmed here, there’s no victims and because I was young, I wouldn’t get in trouble for it, which obviously is not true.
It is not a victimless crime because store owners lose money they need to put food on the table, they may have to let staff go or even close, which has a huge impact on the community.” Farrah’s story remains a powerful reminder of how life can change when one takes responsibility for past actions and works towards making amends.