PIERS MORGAN has labelled Anthea Turner "despicable" after she posted a controversial cartoon on Twitter.
Turner shared an image of an overweight individual wearing a face-mask, sitting in a mobility scooter and holding a bag of McDonald's while telling a non-mask-wearer: "Put a mask on, you're putting my health at risk".
The former Blue Peter presenter was immediately accused of fat-shaming, ableism and of having an anti-mask stance after she posted the image.
Piers Morgan, who has frequently championed the notion of obeying lockdown and adhering to public health guidelines, hit out at Turner, asking her: "What the hell is this?
"Have you lost your mind, Anthea?" He continued.
"Just despicable."
Pic: TwitterUnderneath her initial post, Turner said she was "incensed by the selfish attitudes of people" who fail to see past the threat of coronavirus.
She argued that gyms should be kept open - rather than McDonald's - in order to help people stay fit and healthy at such a challenging time. Particularly when obesity has been objectively linked to a higher Covid mortality.
But Morgan hit back, saying: "You're blaming 120,000+ covid deaths on the victims being lazy? What a repellent, dumb & grotesquely offensive attitude.
"Shame on you."
You're blaming 120,000+ covid deaths on the victims being lazy?
What a repellent, dumb & grotesquely offensive attitude.
Shame on you. https://t.co/LBMT4pgaAF— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) February 12, 2021
Turner has since removed the post and issued an apology.
Totally apologies that the cartoon is clumsy - I’ll take the rollicking on the chin 🥊But this was never directed at people clinically ill who need our support. My passion is sincere though Covid has to give us a bloody big health wakeup call & we’d be nuts not to try & fix it.
— Anthea Turner (@AntheaTurner1) February 12, 2021
"Totally apologies [sic] that the cartoon is clumsy - I'll take the rollicking on the chin. But this was never directed at people clinically ill who need our support. My passion is sincere though Covid has to give us a bloody big health wakeup call & we’d be nuts not to try & fix it."
Anthea Turner