Good Morning Britain viewers have criticised the ITV programme's coverage of Storm Austen, the first named storm of the season, after reporter Jonathan Swain was sent to Cornwall to broadcast live from the severe weather.
During the show, hosts Ranvir Singh and Richard Madeley handed over to Swain, who was seen outside battling strong gusts and rain. Many viewers took to X to express their frustration, with one writing: "Tiz the season for TV reporters to be out in the wind and rain shouting at the camera. Every autumn it's the same."
Viewers call for reporters to stay in the studio
Another viewer commented: "I think most of us have experienced rough weather before. I don't think we need a 'roving reporter' sent to Cornwall to show us what it's like. Stop the fear mongering!" A third added: "FFS, why does GMB send reporters to storm spots? Absolutely pathetic."
One person wrote: "It's windy and raining ffs. Scaremongering #storm." Another said: "What is the point of having poor old Jonathan Swain out in horrible weather just to tell us it's windy and raining? Your viewers aren't so thick that they need to see a man struggling to broadcast to understand what wind and rain is. Get him back into the studio!"
Storm details reported from Cornwall
Reporting from Newquay, Swain told viewers: "It's certainly not peaceful down here in Newquay this morning. There have been gusts reported of 82mph here in Jersey." He added that locals had woken up to "window rattling, fences falling over, people posting messages saying they're feeling quite scared."
Swain reported that 5,000 homes have no power in Cornwall and parts of Devon, and that some schools are likely to have staggered starts later on. He said: "It is pretty dangerous just being out here on the roads this morning, so that's quite a sensible option to ensure people can get to schools safely."
Amber warning and upcoming Storm Boelo
Speaking to a local, Swain described the weather as "horrendous," with the man saying it was the worst he had ever seen in the county. Swain concluded: "This is the amber weather warning that's down here in Cornwall. This is what it looks like, this is what it feels like. It's going to be like this for certainly, most of the morning."
According to Met weather, Storm Austen will move from west to east through Friday, with winds generally diminishing later in the day. On Saturday, Storm Boelo is expected to hit, bringing wet and windy weather across the whole of the UK.
