Ingrid Tarrant sparked anger on Good Morning Britain on Monday as she admitted she has refused to take the Covid vaccine, joking that she is "too young".
The 66-year-old wife of Chris Tarrant said she was not concerned about contracting Covid, admitting she had been hugging her loved ones during the lockdown and said her own son had suffered from Covid early on in the pandemic.
Host Adil Ray and Dr Hilary Jones branded her "irresponsible" as she claimed she was scared about the side effects of the vaccine.
Adil asked: "Are you not worried about catching it?"
Ingrid replied: "No, that sounds so arrogant, doesn't it? I am clean, I take precautions, having the vaccination doesn't stop us from getting it and it doesn't stop us from spreading it."
Adil corrected her: "Well it does, it's proven to lower transmission - have you had the vaccine?"
"No not yet, I am far too young," Ingrid replied.
"Ingrid, this really worries me," said Adil, explaining she could infect him and his vulnerable family members.
Ingrid claimed the virus could not be very transmittable through a hug, aired concerns about the vaccine being "new" and claimed it had not been tested widely.
"My children are furious with me and say I am being irresponsible," she admitted.
Dr Hilary explained the technology for this type of vaccine had been around for decades, and pointed out 55million doses had been given, with minimal side effects and the blood clot risk not proven.
He said: "The risk benefit is enormously in favour of the benefits, because Covid-19 is much more dangerous than the vaccination, which is safe, effective, and will be out way out of the pandemic."
"I have the hug bug, I've had it all my life, and I hug people I don't even know and I even hugged a traffic warden who said 'steady on'.
"I am very tactile and I think it is very primal as it is the first thing we do," said Ingrid.
Viewers were left divided, with many criticising Ingrid for her choice, as one tweeted: "Oh dear Ingrid doesn’t have the facts on the vaccine. Informed opinion is great, sadly hers isn’t. #GMB ".
Another remarked: "Ingrid Tarrant on #GMB saying she will be hugging people but then admitting she hasn’t had the vaccine. The usual c**p about vaccines being unproven, herd immunity & belief she has a robust immune system. Weapons grade stupidity & irresponsibility."
A third raged: "Ingrid hasn’t been vaccinated, by choice, but then she has the nerve to ask if herd immunity makes it ok to hug! Freeloader! #GMB ".
But others defended Ingrid, with one writing: "The amount of Bullying & Abuse Ingrid Tarrant is getting just because she has choosen not to have the vaccine for now.
"What happened to freedom of choice? Hilary is a Bully. #Wow #GMB #Bullying #Abuse #Freedom #choice Well done Ingrid ... I'd hug you."
Another wrote: "Excellent open conversation with ingrid @GMB @susannareid100 just shows how people all think differently regarding the whole Covid pandemic #gmb ".
* Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am
