Fans of ITV cooking show, James Martin’s Saturday Morning, decided revenge was a dish best served cold after tuning into “insufferable” guest Cliff Richard on Saturday.
Fresh from his controversial appearance on This Morning last month, where the 83-year-old singer appeared to fat-shame Elvis Presley, some viewers made their feelings known online.
One fan wrote: "After his fat shaming on This Morning I will give it a miss thanks," while another fumed: "Cliff Richards is insufferable, sorry James. He completely ruined that episode of #Saturdaykitchen a few weeks back and will no doubt have the same effect on your show."
"Yeah I’ll pass after his appearance on this morning," a third said.
"Surprised he had his picture with anyone bigger than him! Which is basically anyone," another viewer commented.
"I’m out, over to Matt and Saturday Kitchen on BBC One today ... Cliff not for me."
And another user added: "#saturdayjamesmartin My eyes will never unsee Cliff Richard dancing. What was that?"
"Cliff Richard? I’m out,” someone else simply said.
On 20 November, Richard 83, featured on ITV’s This Morning to discuss his career in the entertainment industry, including the fact he was inspired by American singer Elvis Presley.
Alison Hammond shut down Cliff Richard’s ‘fat-shaming’ comments on ‘This Morning’— (ITV)
After being asked by temporary co-host Sarah Ferguson whether he’d ever met Presley, the “Summer Holiday” singer raised eyebrows with his response, in which he said he once turned down a photo with the “Jailhouse Rock” star in the late 1970s as “he’d put on a lot of weight”.
“I had once chance through a journalist while I was promoting ‘Devil Woman’ in the States. He said, ‘Oh, I know Elvis.’ He knew that I was influenced [by him],” Richard explained to hosts Alison Hammond, Dermot O’Leary and Ferguson.
But after being offered the chance to meet Presley, the singer said he told the journalist: “Can we put it off? Because he’d put on a lot of weight, and I though, ‘If I’m taking a photograph with him, and it’s going to be hanging on my refrigerator, he’s gotta look good’.”
“I put it off, and then, of course, he died,” Richard added.
Hammond hit back at Richard and replied: “You should never have put it off just because they’re a little bit heavier.”
To which Richard replied: “If you’re a fan of somebody’s, meet them – even if they’ve put on weight.”
Hammond continued to shut down Richard’s remarks, and added: “Is that why you don’t want me at your house?”
The presenter was praised for standing up to Richard’s comments.
The Independent has contacted ITV for a comment.
