Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard were left visibly cringing and open-mouthed as two of their ITV daytime colleagues engaged in a fiery debate about the ethics of influencer culture during Monday's edition of This Morning. The heated discussion, which aired on March 23, saw veteran broadcaster Gyles Brandreth and journalist Camilla Tominey lock horns over whether online influencing represents a viable career path that should be promoted to young children.
The Spark: A Controversial Toy Set
Hosts Cat Deeley, 49, and Ben Shephard, 51, introduced the topic by highlighting a new toy set from retailer Argos that has sparked widespread public outrage. Manufactured by Argos's in-house brand Chad Valley, the wooden "influencer toolkit" is designed for children as young as two years old and encourages role-play activities like filming videos and taking selfies. The product description markets it as "career role-play," featuring items such as a tripod stand, miniature camera, smartphone model, tablet, and microphone.
Clashing Perspectives on Childhood Aspirations
Camilla Tominey, 47, initiated the debate by expressing deep concern. "It's a bit disturbing, this," she stated. "Do you think we should be encouraging toddlers to be influencers? I personally think, possibly not. I would rather little girls and boys had 'how to be a doctor' sets. There's a point where it seems rather vacuous."
Gyles Brandreth, 78, immediately countered with a firm disagreement. "I think it's just a bit of fun," he asserted. Drawing from his own childhood in the 1950s, Brandreth recalled mimicking television cameras by making faces at a washing machine drum. "This is what children do," he explained. "It's like any costume kit—you can be Batman, you can be a doctor, or you can be an influencer. It's a bit of fun, and so I don't criticise Argos at all."
Personal Swipes and Intellectual Snobbery Accusations
The exchange grew increasingly tense when Tominey questioned, "So we're alright to say, 'when I grow up I want to be an influencer' now?" Brandreth pointed directly at her and retorted, "Well, what do you think that you are doing?" After Tominey identified herself as a journalist, Brandreth responded sarcastically, "No, of course you are, of course you are... But what is a journalist but an influencer? You wrote a brilliant column on Sunday, I read it in two parts, and you were trying to influence me with your ideas."
Tominey defended the distinction, arguing, "There's a lot of difference in reporting on events and expressing opinion, and stirring in the ring light and being recorded." Brandreth dismissed this as "intellectual snobbery," emphasising that influencers are integral to modern communication. "Being fun, being glamorous, showing people fashion—Easter is coming and what are people going to be wearing and buying, that's fun," he said. "I enjoy watching influencers, and I think, if you're a child and you're introduced to that alongside everything else, it's just part and parcel."
Tominey concluded by warning that such toys encourage careers where individuals are "always on screen" and promote "doom scrolling" among viewers.
Audience Reactions and Broader Criticism
Viewers at home took to social media platform X to react to the intense confrontation. One user wrote, "Gyles Brandreth handing Camilla Tominey her a**e on a plate by telling her she’s an influencer. She's raging... the shade he's throwing is excellent." Another commented, "Gyles has annoyed Camilla!" while a third praised, "Gyles talking sense!"
The £15 Argos toy set has faced significant backlash from child development advocates. Daisy Greenwell, co-founder of Smartphone Free Childhood, criticised the product, asking, "Is anyone genuinely thinking this is what a two-year-old needs? We have to ask what we're teaching our children to aspire to." She added, "When we normalise the language and props of influencing in toddlerhood, we send the message that being watched matters more than being curious. Childhood should be a time to discover who you are—not to start polishing your personal brand."
Smartphone Free Childhood, supported by 250,000 families and celebrities including Paloma Faith and Benedict Cumberbatch, argues that smartphones harm young people's development, mental health, and relationships while exposing them to online dangers.
In response, an Argos spokesman stated, "We offer a broad selection of toy sets that encourage imaginative and creative play. This product is part of that wider range, which includes items such as our Chad Valley Tool Box, Wooden Toaster and Pizza Counter sets, designed to help children have fun."
This Morning continues to air weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX, providing a platform for discussions on contemporary social issues that resonate with its audience.
