Lorraine Kelly jumped from her seat in fear as ITV producers terrified her with a sneaky clown prank live on air.
The 59-year-old was presenting a segment about entertainment you can enjoy this weekend - including the sequel to the film adaptation of Stephen King's It, which tells the story of demonic killer clown Pennywise.
As she was discussing the film, a clown quietly crept up behind her before screaming "boo" in her face.
The veteran TV presenter leaped from her chair and shouted: "You swines."
Visibly shaking, she said: "I hate clowns, I need a gin. This is genuine fear."
As the clown scurried away, Lorraine was forced to take a drink as she attempted to steady her nerves and had decided that watching a two hour film involving clowns might not be for her.
Having a phobia of clowns is called coulrophobia coming from the Greek word 'kolon' which means 'stilt walker'.
The irrational fear plays on the subversion of a comic clown character where they are perceived as 'evil' and this is fueled by their use in horror and dark comedies.
Stephen King's 1986 novel It, is perhaps one of the most recognised portrayals of an evil clown.
In 1990 the novel was turned into a TV series staring Tim Curry as Pennywise and in 2017 it was adapted into a film starting Bill Skarsgard.
It Chapter Two hits cinemas today, September 6.
*Lorraine is on ITV1, weekdays from 8:30am
