Holly Willoughby appeared to briefly forget where she was as she made a run for it to avoid a skunk during Wednesday's This Morning.
The 38-year-old and her co-host Phillip Schofield were cuddling the furry guests when - perhaps unsurprisingly - the age old motto about not working with animals became relevant.
As they neared the end of the segment, Willoughby happily petted the animal and said: “How amazing, thank you so much for bringing them in to meet us again.”
Talking directly to the mammal she added: “And you didn’t spray, you were very well-behaved.”
But just seconds later, the skunk in question looked as though it was thinking about a change of heart and raised its tail - which sent Willoughby running.
Hiding behind a pillar, metres away from the desk, she said: “What’s happening, is it going to go?”
This sent Schofield into fits of laughter as he told her: “You are such a scaredy cat!”
Thankfully, no spraying occurred. Phew.
According to the Science ABC website, skunks secrete a foul-smelling spray from their anal glands when they feel under threat.
The website site adds that the spray is a mixture of chemicals including sulphur, accounting for the subsequent rotten eggs smell they emit.
Willoughby and Schofield, 57, will celebrate the 10th anniversary of their This Morning partnership during tomorrow’s episode, which airs on ITV from 10.30am.
The pair first hosted ITV’s Dancing on Ice together in 2006, with Willoughby then replacing Fern Britton on This Morning in September 2009.
