Good Morning Britain's Ed Balls sparks backlash with 'car crash' Nigel Farage interview
Former I'm A Celebrity star Nigel Farage was being interviewed after taking over as leader of Reform UK and announcing that he will stand in July 4's General Election.
GMB: Nigel Farage rules out being Conservative Party leader
Ed Balls sparked a backlash among Good Morning Britain viewers after he and Susanna Reid interviewed Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.
The pair questioned the new Reform UK leader after he announced he would stand to win election as an MP in Clacton in July 4's General Election.
Mr Balls, a former Labour cabinet minister, asked if Mr Farage would rule out being leader of the Conservative Party - saying he did not think the new candidate has given up on a "re-aligned party after the election" and that lots of different small parties "never work".
The former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader gave a typically bullish response, saying: "UKIP was massively successful. Name me a more successful party in British politics that is a small group of people who get together, form a political party, fight election after election after election."
He added: "I think UKIP was immensely successful."
He added that he had "no interest in this Conservative Party", claiming those controlling Tory central office are "not conservatives, they're social democrats".
Ms Reid asked: "So Nigel Farage, you'll never stand for the Conservative Party and you'll never lead the Conservative Party?"
Mr Farage replied: "Not as they currently are," to which Mr Balls replied: "Ah, that's very revealing. A week ago you said you wouldn't stand to become MP and you changed your mind."
Viewers at home rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to slam Ed Balls's line of questioning.
One frustrated viewer said: "Has @edballs forgotten he's meant to be interviewing Nigel? Instead, he thinks he's there to debate him!
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"Ed is a useless presenter and an absolute joke ... God knows who he's got in his pocket at GMB to keep him employed there. Terrible."
Another ITV viewer said: "I was thinking the same thing. Wasn't an interview, more of what we can expect tonight between Sunak and Starmer. Ed does like trying to put words in people's mouths!"
Somebody else said: "Ed still hasn’t got the hang of this presenter thing, has he? #GMB."
Yet another person said: "#gmb Ed Balls trying his best to present but making it f*****g hard work."
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A fifth called the interview a "total car crash", adding: "Ed Balls is acting like a man possessed. Calm down man."
A sixth added: "Come on Nigel, don't let Ed Balls rewrite your narrative give it em back! #GMB."
However, not everyone felt the same way. One viewer said: "Just seen Ed Balls #GMB completely own Nigel Farage. @Nigel_Farage, don't be so prickly."
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
