This Morning viewers appalled over ‘dystopian’ energy bills game

Viewers were left appalled after ITV’s This Morning unveiled a new type of prize during today’s game of Spin to Win.

While competition prizes traditionally consist of bundles of cash, flash cars and tropical holidays abroad, the ongoing cost of living crisis has evidently changed what people consider to be a treat or a necessity. 

And as energy bills soar to unprecedented costs, This Morning are now giving Spin to Win players the chance to have their energy bills paid for four months, as opposed to the usual cash prizes ranging from £1,000 – £3,000.

Announcing the controversial new prize during today’s episode, host Phillip Schofield said: “This week, we’ve got our usual cash prizes but you can also win some extra cash to pay your energy bills until the end of the year.

“That’s four months of energy bills totally taken care of.”

Today’s winner, a caller called Alex, told the hosts that the ongoing energy crisis is a ‘major’ concern for him, adding that he has ‘one of those pre-payment meters and it’s just absolute murder’. 

Alex went on to spin the wheel and secured himself the energy prize, meaning his bills are covered for the next four months. 

Yet while Alex was delighted by the prize and thanked the hosts profusely, viewers at home weren’t too impressed, with many slamming the addition to the once light-hearted game as ‘dystopian’ and ‘depressing’. 

One social media user wrote: “This Morning having ‘energy bills’ as a prize on their Spin To Win is the most dystopian and sad reflection on society right now… How did we get to this point? Madness.”

Another commented: “The fact @thismorning @itv are doing a prize of ‘energy bills paid’ has left me feeling very awkward. Luring the most needy to gamble in the most desperate of times.”

A third accused ITV of ‘using people’s fear and misery for light entertainment’, while also slamming hosts Phillip and Holly for patronising viewers who can’t afford to pay their own energy bills. 

Other users also slammed ITV of mocking the crisis, with another user writing: “We don’t need game shows to give one person a morning the chance to win their bill paid. We need our government to act, and make everyone able to afford their energy bills as a basic human right.”

Proper Manchester has approached ITV for comment.