Eamonn Holmes apologises after calling This Morning guest Jonathan Wilkes 'retarded'

By Emily Sheridan


Eamonn Holmes apologised to This Morning viewers after using the word 'retarded' to mock a guest presenter.

The 51-year-old ridiculed actor Jonathan Wilkes - who was in the studio to review the morning's papers - when the latter admitted his geography wasn't good.

They were discussing an item in the papers concerning a poll, which claimed a third of Britons don't know where London, Birmingham and Glasgow are on a map.

Bad choice of words: Eamonn Holmes caused controversy when he called a guest presenter 'retarded' on This Morning yesterday

Wilkes - famous for being the best friend of Robbie Williams - admitted he was probably 'in that third', prompting Holmes to label him 'retarded'.

However, during the break it appeared several viewers had phoned it to complain about the term.

When the next segment of the ITV show started, Holmes said: 'Sorry to three or four of you who have got in touch this morning, because I used the word 'retarded' during the newspaper review.

'You seem to take it personally or seem to say that I'm insulting all sorts of people who have all sorts of conditions.

Mockery: Holmes teased Jonathan Wilkes (far left) during a review of the papers with Lizzie Cundy and his wife Ruth Langsford

'But obviously I would never want to do that or cause any sort of offence.

"There's this man who has got an autistic son, who said that somehow I had insulted his child. I really hope it hasn't, because I certainly wouldn't use it in that context. Sorry if that caused you offence.'

He later re-iterated his apology on his Twitter page and thanked his followers for their support.

He tweeted: 'Thanks for your support and understanding today - we all make mistakes. Those who want to find mischief will push things.'

Apology: Holmes later said sorry to viewers after some phoned in to complain

An ITV spokesperson said: 'Eamonn accepts that it was a poor choice of words and it was not his intention to cause any offence. He has apologised on air for any offence caused.'

It's not the first time Holmes has made an embarrassing gaffe on This Morning.

In 2008, he mistakenly mixed up Mexican actress Salma Hayek's Lebanese ancestry with lesbian.

When he said her surname didn't sound very Mexican, she tried to explain she was half-Lebanese.

To which Holmes replied: 'You're a lesbian?'



source:dailymail