This Morning (1988– ) User Reviews

Fodder for the Brain-Dead

[highpriestess32 · 4/10 · 14 January 2010]

Although just occasionally the programme boasts a decent discussion and/or notable guest, for the main part this show drones on like a bout of manic depression.

If I want cookery tips I'll consult a cookbook. If I want fashion tips I'll buy a copy of Vogue and if I wanted advice, I would never call the "This Morning" agony team unless I'd been magically abducted by aliens and subsequently partially lobotomised overnight.

The trouble with magazine shows is that they attempt to squeeze far too many bulletins into the schedule, rendering this particular show rushed and exhausting. When a topic comes on that is actually half-way intelligent, it is given barely enough airtime to enable the viewer to gain much clarity before the enforced serious expressions of the presenters suddenly revert to the joyousness of competition time - ergo trivialising the nature of the previous bulletin.

Personally I find it insulting to my intelligence, not unlike most daytime TV that is pumped out for the masses and spoon-fed to those whose only interest in this life is to figure out how to pull off a pair of Primark denims whilst simultaneously baking an Alaskan pie.

This and every morning

[studioAT · 4/10 · 25 April 2017]

It's become a staple of peoples mornings in the UK. Everyone from bored housewives, to students, to the unemployed - they all spend a happy time of it of a weekday with Holly and Phil.

And why not? It's a light, mildly entertaining show, that covers the ridiculous to the series in large brush strokes.

If you don't like a segment, don't worry, after a short ad break or the ever annoying Andi Peters doing a competition there will be another story shortly to follow.

It wins awards too, so people are clearly behind this ever green programme.

Annoying

[petermcconnell · 4/10 · 9 December 2020]

Holly and Phil are hard to watch, it's comes across as very fake, Alison is terrible

Trite, inconsequential, and aimed at bored women: why celebrate this show?

[intern-88 · 10 October 2008]

So, This Morning is 20 years old this year. As ITV1 has been reminding us constantly in recent weeks.

But what is there to celebrate? This Morning has been a haven for layabout students and moronic housewives for two decades now. We should be mourning its very existence rather than heralding it. It is a celebration of mediocrity. I hate it because, like watching Loose Women (also ITV1), reading Richard Littlejohn's newspaper columns or logging on to Facebook, watching This Morning is annoyingly addictive.

This daytime programme came into existence in October 1988, initially headed by Richard 'Alan Partridge' Madeley and Judy Finnigan. It adopted a kind of magazine format that followers of Nationwide or That's Life in the early 1980s will be familiar with: a bit of serious politics to begin with, then some showbiz news, a feature about erectile dysfunction, a cat that could rollerskate, some agony aunt advice that always ended with the coda 'you must remember that it's not your fault', a cookery section (a feature in any programme that immediately informs you that you really should be doing something better instead), all topped off by a song by Michael Bolton or Rick Astley. And there's the default bit about the 'credit crunch' thrown in somewhere for good measure.

Imagine the Fox News channel digested into a two-hour resumé, and then you've got This Morning. It's not quite as right-wing, I admit, but it conveys a similarly conservative message, interspersed with scare stories and mundane pieces of trivia. It's like breakfast television. Except it's shown in the middle of the day. In other words, This Morning has always been the televisual equivalent of the Daily Mail: trite, inconsequential, hysterical, full of psychobabble, and designed for bored women. Watching a DVD of the movie Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy the other night, I couldn't but help think that Ron Burgundy and Veronica Corningstone were dead ringers for Richard and Judy.

The strange paradox is that the presenters of This Morning have been quite endearing. Madeley was self-consciously ridiculous; Finnigan a lovable nervous wreck; Phillip Schofield is simply lovable; Eamonn Holmes is the archetypal cheeky chappy Irishman who could even make you like Manchester United; agony aunt Denise Robertson is grandmaternal; doctor Chris Steele avuncular; the rotund, buxom Fern Britton has a classic maternal appeal.

And as unfashionable as it is to say it, John Leslie was a good presenter, before his career was ruined by slander.

But why did they and do they talk such rubbish? I think it's because ITV is, in its essence, rubbish by nature. The BBC is today mostly rubbish because it is didactic; ITV is rubbish because it is populist, and always panders to the lowest common denominator. This Morning is the perfect exemplar of this tendency. Independent television thrives on worrying viewers and spreading fear. Again, consider Fox News: although I sympathise with its right-wing propaganda, Fox News is hysterical in the shameless manner in which it propagates it. Still, I admire its honesty, contrasted with CNN or the BBC's surreptitiousness.

So I think ITV should follow Fox's honest example. There have been lots of stories about ITV axing its regional news output in order to cut costs, and accusations about it 'dumbing down' in order to chase ratings. But when has ITV ever been clever? Sure, it had a period in the 1970s when it briefly tried to be high-brow, notably with World In Action and when News At Ten was actually respected, but otherwise it has always been slave to the advertisers. It might as well give up its eternally hopeless and deceitful pretence at being on a par with the BBC. Why not just be out with it and say: 'We're ITV and we're crap. And we're good at making crap.' This Morning has a populist appeal. It appeals to popular phobias and feeds into popular neuroses. And it does so through that most devious of means: by having nice presenters and generally being agreeable.

by Patrick West -- Patrick West is spiked's TV columnist.

Will It Ever Go Away !

[carolynocean · 1/10 · 18 June 2021]

You know , when they that something has had its day ?

Well , this show should have have ended years ago , It amazes me that people still watch Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby , they are insufferable, that exaggerated laughter, just so childish! They think they are so funny and entertaining. Its just so immature most of the time. And when their not acting like children , their being so smug.

And I have to mention the time that he 'came out ' on live TV, with Holly Willoughby holding his hand , and the two of them crying !!!!!!!!!!!

I could not care less whether he is straight or gay , but that whole, bizarre announcement was simply embarrassing and cringy . I could not believe my eyes .

Apart from all the ridiculous topics they have to FILL the show , there is a a never ending competition running for what seems like forever, just a time filler.

I could go on and on , but really ITV , please just CALL IT A DAY .

Time to change the record.!

Just how far can you 'dumb down'?

[taxista-69847 · 1/10 · 24 August 2022]

This appalling program has just got worse and worse, they have a prime slot and an opportunity to inform and entertain, what do the viewers get? More and more tabloid bilge, time to re-think it?

Phil & Holly Sketch Show ... And Not That Funny!

[Moviereeeels12 · 1/10 · 5 September 2019]

'This Morning' used ( a very long time ago ) to be a great magazine show with a varied schedule of interesting subjects, from great true stories to health advice, money matters and current topics. All presenters fall short, very short, delivering a show that is quite boring, full of competitions, playground jokes and behaviour and makes it very easy to switch channels, the worst are the main hosts Phil & Holly, they seem to enjoy their little private jokes, and talk about the show as a family but leaving the viewer as an outsider and a stranger, living and presenting in their little TV bubble making sure everyone knows how great they are and the viewer should be honoured to watch and worship them .... No Thanks! Rather watch the other Channel !!

Lame daytime TV show

[DavidYZ · 2/10 · 28 April 2017]

The large majority of what's shown on This Morning isn't worthy of being on national television. There's gossip and trivia.

Some of its presenters have been awful - such as Eamonn Holmes, who's bland and boring.

Occasionally they have interesting guests on.

Great start to the morning

[charliesxbl · 9/10 · 20 November 2020]

It's really good to watch when your waiting to go to work, or to eat your breakfast with. An amazing show and a tradition to watch holly and Phil in the morning

This Morning review.

[jakediprose · 7/10 · 20 July 2018]

I rated This Morning 7/10 as it is a talk show and news programme combined. Some topics can be quite bland and boring, but I personally like watching the cooking parts. Martin Lewis features on this show, discussing special deals which I particularly like.

My favourite presenters are Philip and Holly, but I also like Alison and Dr Ranj,

Good job itv!

So Annoying 😱😡

[suerodhart · 1/10 · 18 February 2022]

How are Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary being allowed to present This Morning. Dermot acts like a ten year old and Alison just is not a presenter. Get Ruth & Eamonn back. Terrible, unwatchable which is sad.

April fools

[sandragoodacre · 10/10 · 1 April 2024]

Oh my gosh I really thought it was the legit the vase when it got knocked over and smashed on the floor my heart stopped beating and I was shocked for Alison when the vase got knocked over but very good April fools you had me fooled.and Alison and the lady was in total shock also when the vase smashed, and dermot offered to pay for the vase I really was not into an April fools morning.and to keep the joke going and being real and convincing that it was brought at a car boot sale and it is now worth over 30,000 and brought for 1.50 I still did not twig that this was an April fools joke hope Alison heart calms down.

Definetly a curate's egg!

[Rabical-91 · 6/10 · 7 March 2023]

I have mixed feelings about this show. One the one hand, some of the guests who appeared on the show made for interesting viewing though the items involving make-overs, phone-ins, cookery demonstrations and other such pointless guff left me cold. The show began in 1988, originally hosted by Richard Madeley and Judy Finnegan ( both of whom like Terry Wogan had an annoying habit of not letting whatever poor guest was on the show get a word in edgeways ), but later interviewees included the late Caron Keating ( daughter of Gloria Hunniford ), Ruth Langsford, Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield. Appearing sporadically through the '90s was the gorgeous Claudia Winkleman.

Guests on the show, who usually appeared to promote an upcoming project included Anita Dobson ( who appeared discussing her exit from 'Eastenders' as well as promoting her sitcom 'Split Ends' ), Gregor Fisher ( appearing to promote 'The Baldy Man' ), Rik Mayall ( appearing to promote his movie 'Bring Me The Head Of Mavis Davis' ) and Reg Varney ( who appeared to promote the mooted 'On The Buses' remake which never materialised ). Other guests included Martin Clunes, Miriam Margolyes. Pam St. Clement. Terence Stamp, William Roache, Amanda Barrie, Joanna Lumley, Linda Robson and David Jason.

Not great television by any means but still better than irritating pap like 'Loose Women'.

Why not before now!

[steveo-69166 · 1/10 · 26 May 2023]

Thank goodness that a man who has deceived so many people has finally had to admit his deceit. How has he been able to enjoy the financial benefits of his position, while being a liar. Him and other TV presenters, including Gary Lineker, seem to think they are Teflon. Hopefully at some point the general public will manage to bring them to a point where they are made to acknowledge their "normality" As an aside, when will the BBC be seen as an outdated monopoly?

Many other channels seem to survive by producing interesting viewing, so, why pay firstly to BBC and secondly for many individuals to make huge salaries?

Itv shake up

[andycrane-36218 · 19 December 2021]

It's about time Phil n holly were out! Give younger presents a go!after Philips cocktails big headed ness in interviews and holly seems too snobby n stuck up! Vernon kay and josie are perfect more suited to the role even on Fridays instead of them two useless embarrassing no good at all time wasters! It's about time itv had a shake up on all its live shows!!

Infantile

[jfl1234 · 1/10 · 13 October 2021]

I haven't watched This Morning for over a year and had the misfortune to watch a short bit today and it hasn't improved in fact I think it's got worse if that's possible. Holly and Phil are infantile, stupid giggling amongst themselves, childish jokes. Holly constantly going on about how much she drinks- how old are they ! Because they act about 12. Aren't they supposed to be role models. How does this win a Daytime NTA I suppose there's not much competition.

It's had its day now go away!!

[leestrickley · 1/10 · 20 September 2022]

The worst program on TV.. Phil and Holly's tears and lies have just got too much.. Axe this show its worse than Jeremy Kyle for taking the Mickey out of people!! It's irrelevant stories and fashion parades for the rich are an absolute joke. The Game show for energy bills was the final straw for me... You're taking the absolute mickey out of the poor. Your show is disgusting your presenters are liars. This has had its day, Phil and Holly have run it into the ground and enough is enough. No one wants it anymore especially after Queuegate. You're all liars protecting Phil and Holly for money... GET OFF MY TV!

Philip and holly

[quadrophenia-69524 · 1/10 · 31 July 2020]

This show is so bad holly is pretty condescending to people who she sees as below her Phillip also is just as nasty then they both seem to laugh a lot at each other petty jokes and banter I would laugh myself if I was getting as much as these 2 then there's eamom and Ruth they can just be just as bad

Boring

[jrgio · 2/10 · 11 August 2021]

Having the old couple hosting the show is like going back in time with Richard and Judy It should be a modern upbeat show.

Christmas sandwiches and other rants

[eileensull · 3/10 · 10 November 2023]

Oh dear I felt a bit sick as the team when savage over the annual sandwich that most companies submit every year.

I have worked for a company where the surplus fresh sandwiches have been distributed to the homeless who were very grateful to have a spare cold meal that they could keep for later.

Looking at the greed on this mornings content, it just shows that the team are only concerned with what freebies they can consume and what they can eat and and have for lunch when everyone else is suffering.

Can you please let the audience know what you do with all the food prep/surplus you leave according to timescales. Properly going to the behind the camerea crew. Lets hope it is not wasted.

Also why I am a rant, how about the following. There is a lot of items to help the public save money, from beauty hacks to household. All I see is the presenters either putting away on their bra,opening the packaging and applying it or actually saying this is yours to take home. While I understand there items are either on loan or purchased, why do you not offer a prize to win the show or parts of it?