Jeremy Vine viewers were left furious after a caller expressed concern for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's mental health during a discussion about the Duke's visit to Balmoral.
Caller's concern sparks backlash
On the Channel 5 show, Jeremy Vine was joined by broadcaster Mike Parry and commentator Faiza Shaheen to discuss Andrew leaving his "exile" in Norfolk to join the Royal Family in Balmoral. The panellists spoke to a caller, Tom from Manchester, who showed concern for the 66-year-old's mental health.
Tom said: "Where do we stop with this? If his mental health is in decline, where do we stop?" He added: "Look at Caroline Flack, for example, God forbid if the worst did happen to Andrew and he harmed himself."
Panel and viewers react
Jeremy admitted: "You've raised a very good point there, if at some point somebody were to take their own life, there'd be this huge thing about, 'we've got to change the way we talk about people in public life.'"
Faiza responded: "Caroline Flack, she didn't do anything wrong, and I also think this brings it back into the news, because then there's more talk about it and people are angry about it all over again. It's better to hide him away, then there's no conversation."
The caller suggested Andrew "should be putting some good back into the community and not waltzing around playing golf." Mike argued: "They can't, let's be realistic. In the greater world, Prince Andrew is one of the most famous men in this country, and he had to be isolated, and I don't think it matters whether he's isolated in Sandringham or Balmoral."
Social media backlash
The caller's concern sparked backlash among viewers on social media. One fumed: "He caused all this on himself. No sympathy whatsoever." Another suggested: "Let him go to Balmoral as it is a private paid running estate. He will have isolation there."
A third hit back: "One of his victims had such bad mental health that she took her own life." While one viewer defended the former Duke: "Who gives a f**k. Leave him."
King Charles reportedly conscious of Andrew's mental health
New reports claim that King Charles is "acutely conscious" of his brother's mental health and that Andrew has been invited to Balmoral so he can "play golf". It is not known if Andrew will accept the invitation.
