Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid confronted social media personality 'Big John' Fisher over his proposal that only England should receive a bank holiday if the team wins the World Cup, leaving Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland out. The debate aired on July 14, 2026, as England prepares for a semi-final match against Argentina.
Big John's England-only bank holiday stance
Fisher, known as 'Big John,' appeared on the ITV show to discuss the possibility of a national holiday following a potential World Cup victory. He firmly stated, 'If England wins the World Cup, bank holiday for England only,' rejecting the idea of a UK-wide celebration. When Reid asked how he thought Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish viewers would react, Fisher replied, 'They probably agree with me because if they've not supported us, they probably think why would we have a day off work if England wins the World Cup? This is an England thing.'
Mixed viewer reactions
The proposal drew a divided response on social media. One viewer wrote, 'As a Scot, I 100% agree. We won't celebrate England winning, so we don't want the bank holiday either!' Another called it 'Wise Words. Legend.' A third suggested, 'Can the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish get a bank holiday if England lose the final because we will be celebrating just as hard?' Some agreed conditionally, with one user saying, 'Deal but I'll trade all my bank holidays if we never hear "is it coming home?" again.'
Criticism over gender disparity
Others pointed out the lack of a bank holiday when England's women's team won the Euros. One commenter noted, 'We didn't get one when the women won the Euros, we shouldn't get one if we win the World Cup.' Another added, 'Why should we get a bank holiday for the lads win when we didn't when the ladies won the European Cup twice on the trot. Or the ladies winning the rugby World Cup.'
England's World Cup journey
England's semi-final against Argentina is scheduled for July 15, 2026, at 8pm UK time. A win would put them one step closer to the final, intensifying the debate over a potential bank holiday.
