Piers Morgan has criticised the decision for Cheltenham Festival to go ahead amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The Good Morning Britain host said today he believes that the four-day annual horse racing event should not have taken place as the UK death toll rises to six.
Piers gave his opinion - as he often does - while he and his colleague Susanna Reid were in the middle of a live link up with Charlotte Hawkins, who was reporting from the festival.
While footage of the crowds from the festival were broadcast on the ITV breakfast programme, Piers slammed the idea of so many people being allowed to gather.
“Look at the volume of people there,” he said. “How can anybody tell me, as this outbreak is beginning to erupt, that kind of gathering of people in that close proximity is a good idea.
“I don’t think that Cheltenham Festival should have been allowed to go ahead. It doesn’t make any sense to me whatsoever.”
He added: “What are the chances that one of the 60,000 people have the virus? I’d say right now, reasonably high.”
Charlotte explained that if they had the annual race meeting behind closed doors the economic hit on the local area would be £100million.
“I am sorry, the nation’s health is more important than the nation’s economy,” Piers hit back.
Charlotte explained that banning large outdoor gatherings would be a “huge step” and that the government wants to keep in their armoury to use at the right time.
But it fell on deaf ears as Piers continued his rant, which switched to his beloved Arsenal Football Club.
He said: “What I can’t understand is, one person, the owner of Olympiacos football team, has tested positive and can cause Arsenal’s game against Manchester City tonight to be postponed and yet you have 60-odd thousand people and we don’t know how many of those people may have coronavirus.”
Charlotte said that those worried about their health can take precautions, such as wearing gloves and washing their hands, but those who have health conditions can always stay at home and watch it on TV.
Piers said: “Look, you go to Cheltenham to have a good old jolly I get it, I love going to the races, ascot and so on, but frankly this is more important.
“The health of our elderly and those with underlying health problems should be more important than all of this going about having jollies.
“And if it means you don’t get a day at the races, you don’t get a day at the races.”
GMB airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.
