Apprentice star Ryan-Mark Parsons was branded "sick and grotesque" on Good Morning Britain today after suggesting that dead koalas' fur should be sold to raise money for charity.
The luxury womenswear consultant, 19, prompted disgust from viewers and even host Susanna Reid over this idea.
Prompted on whether it was just a "sick idea" by Susanna, Ryan-Mark said: "I don't think it's a sick idea because the purpose of this is to raise money for the sick animals."
He added: "The animals are dead so if we can use the money to save other animals, i don't see what is the issue."
However fellow guest and animal campaigner Wendy Turner-Webster suggested that it was "distasteful".
"What's fundamentally wrong about your plan is that it perpetuates the idea that fur is a valuable commodity," said Wendy.
She also insisted that the dead koalas should be "respected".
Ryan-Mark responded: "What we're promoting is a one-off initiative to raise money for charity."
Susanna pointed out that the problem was that he would stimulating demand that might not become just a one-off.
Asked what kind of items the fur could be made into, Ryan-Mark suggested: "It could be a scarf to memorialise the animals."
Wendy exclaimed: "It's grotesque!"
*Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV
