New Yorker Anthony Shurigin, who has chromophobia, the fear of colour, appeared on This Morning on October 12, and the studio was turned black and white to make him more comfortable.
Hosts Ben Shepard and Cat Deeley decided to switch the screen to monochrome before interviewing Shurigin, who explained that the look “has a level of sameness and consistency that can be less overwhelming than a room with a bunch of colours”.
Colourless lifestyle
Shurigin said that one of the driving factors behind his condition is that “New York is so overstimulating and colourful and loud”. He added: “I love coming home to an environment that doesn’t have any of that. I feel like I can hear myself think better and be more productive that way.”
He shared that he experienced OCD for most of his life, but the discomfort around colour began when he was at school. This led him to switch his wardrobe to entirely monochrome before turning his attention to his bedroom, with videos of his home life attracting around one million likes on social media.
Family support
Images of his room were shown on This Morning, along with a black and white Christmas tree. Shurigin said: “The one [Christmas tree] we have in our living room is white themed and all white and silver.”
He also spoke about how his condition has affected his family. “My parents have been super supportive,” he said. “They are usually wearing black and white around me. They completely understand it. If anything, they’re proud of how much online success I’ve had due to this, turning something that sounds limiting into a sort of personal brand and aesthetic.”
Shurigin said he does not see a “purpose” in bringing colour back into his life and hopes one day to have a house that is entirely monochrome. This Morning continues every weekday at 10am on ITV and ITVX.
