Good Morning Britain viewers expressed frustration during Monday's (August 17) episode as presenters Richard Madeley and Ranvir Singh discussed the emergency alert that sounded on phones across the UK on Friday evening (August 14). The alert warned against activities that could start fires, including lighting barbecues, campfires, and fireworks, in a bid to prevent wildfires.
Viewers react to the alert debate
As the ITV presenters replayed the alert in the studio and debated whether it was necessary, viewers took to social media to share their displeasure. One person wrote: "Oh, get a grip, Richard, making something out of nothing #gmb." Another commented: "People are massively overreacting about the emergency alert. It was at the request of the fire service! If you don't want alerts, switch them off. It's really that simple. Why are they still going on about it?"
A third viewer said: "Get a life with this alert discussion. More things to make a fuss about." A fourth added: "#gmb Please stop replaying Friday's alert. Your whole story on it this morning is how many people (& pets, btw) it startled/upset, and yet you keep replaying it completely unnecessarily. We all know how it sounded & if anything, you're desensitising us, which is irresponsible."
Guest and presenter weigh in
Former Conservative chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng appeared on the programme and shared his experience of being on a train when the alert went off, which caused confusion. He said: "They didn't know what was going on, people were totally confused. Then, when you read the message, some people took it very seriously, and others switched it off; this is completely irrelevant."
Richard Madeley recalled his initial reaction: "I must say, when I heard it on Friday, my very first thought was, I knew what it was straight away because they've tested it before. I thought immediately, 'My God, has Putin pressed the button?'"
Kwarteng also cautioned that the government must be careful in future use of the alert to avoid overexposing the public to it. The discussion drew further criticism online, with one viewer noting the topic had already been covered over the weekend on other news channels.
