Eh, Remember That 'Bondage for Beginners' Segment on This Morning?

Eh, Remember That 'Bondage for Beginners' Segment on This Morning?
By Fiona Flynn  | Mar 10, 2015

Last February, ITV's This Morning featured quite the controversial segment when they showed an item that was called 'Bondage for Beginners' to tie in (sorry) with the release of Fifty Shades of Grey.

The piece featured semi-naked models who demonstrated bondage techniques with the help of a sexpert, and proved to stir quite the reaction amongst listeners.

Ofcom received about 120 complaints on the issue and recently they announced they were opening up an investigation into it to see if it was "suitable for broadcast before the watershed".

Philip Schofield presented the segment along with Christine Bleakley, and defended it to the Press Association saying; "I think for me, and it's my own personal belief, but in the old days, people would pick up the phone and complain or they'd write a letter. But now they go to Ofcom and they must be sick to death of all of this.

"Any minor outrage that anyone's got, they go to Ofcom. They must be inundated with minor complaints. As far as I'm concerned, This Morning has always pushed the boundaries."

He went on to say; "Richard and Judy did it when they launched Viagra for the first time, the first time we did a testicular examination, the first time we did an examination to hopefully safeguard yourself against breast cancer, people were outraged, up in arms. This was shocking, shocking television.

"Since the first day This Morning did that, we've saved countless lives."

So.... eh, bondage saves lives then, does it?

Well Schofield was quick to clarify that one; "Obviously I'm not saying the bondage is going to save anyone's life but what we did was reflect on what everyone else was doing or talking about at the time.

"Everyone went to see the movie and if you look at the stuff we had on there, it was very innocent stuff and also spectacularly when the item had finished the things we had were all sold out in moments. So behind those closed, outraged doors of middle England, what they were secretly doing was going to buy this stuff online."

Fair enough, although certainly couldn't see Ireland AM at this lark, or Daithi and Maura for that matter...Joe Duffy's lines would be jammed for months.

Do you think this is suitable for morning television? Let us know in the comments!

Advertisement