In a bizarre and unexpected moment on live television, Dermot O'Leary leaned over and bit his co-host Christine Lampard on the shoulder during Wednesday's edition of ITV's This Morning. The incident occurred as the pair, who were presenting together, discussed the day's upcoming segments.
A Live-On-Air Nibble Shocks Viewers
The 52-year-old presenter, who is standing in for the absent Ben Shephard this week, suddenly turned to 46-year-old Lampard and bit her during a segment about Christmas shopping. The cameras had just panned away to show tables full of gift ideas before cutting back to the hosts, capturing the peculiar moment. Lampard's reaction was remarkably calm, brushing off the bite with the quip, "I know, it's stressful," as guest Steve Wilson demonstrated a stress-relief toy.
O'Leary, seizing the comedic opportunity, replied, "A member of the team would really appreciate that right now..." The exchange left many at-home audiences both amused and bewildered by the spontaneous act.
Behind the Scenes of This Week's Hosting Shake-Up
The unusual hosting lineup came about due to a series of last-minute changes. O'Leary, who normally presents Fridays with Alison Hammond, was originally scheduled to co-host with fan favourite Emma Willis. However, Willis fell ill just hours before Monday's broadcast, forcing a reshuffle.
Consequently, O'Leary has been presenting alongside Josie Gibson and Christine Lampard while the show's regular Monday to Thursday hosts, Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, take a break. On Monday, O'Leary and Gibson sent their well-wishes to Willis on air, explaining her absence was due to feeling "a little bit poorly."
Not the First On-Air Tension for O'Leary
This is not the first time Dermot O'Leary's presenting style has caused a stir recently. Just last week, viewers noted he was told to "stop interrupting" his regular co-host Alison Hammond during a live Black Friday segment. The moment arose during a playful debate about the shopping event, with Hammond eventually asking, "Are you going to let me finish?"
Wednesday's bite incident adds to a week of unpredictable moments for the flagship daytime programme. Despite the off-script behaviour, the show continued seamlessly, featuring guests including stars from the ITV drama Red Eye, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
