Good Morning Britain's Richard Madeley makes bed blunder in live broadcast from NHS hospital

Good Morning Britain's Richard Madeley wrongly told viewers there were no beds available at the hospital where the show was broadcasting a live NHS frontline special.

Kate Garraway was forced to correct her co-host after he made the false claim from Whiston Hospital in Cheshire where the hosts were joined by celebrity GPs Dr Hilary Jones and Dr Amir Khan for the episode of the ITV breakfast show located in the busy hospital foyer.

Madeley said: "We are taking you through the journey of an outpatient here at an NHS hospital facing significant pressures.

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"There’s not one spare bed in this hospital, they are all completely full."

Garraway rolled her eyes before adding: "Yeah, I mean they do have beds for people that need them.

"I think there is just 90 per cent occupancy which is where they like it to be for all the people who are coming in."

She also reassured viewers that they were not getting in the way by being in the hospital and that anyone who needed to attend as a patient during the broadcast would not appear on camera without their consent.

The live special focused on the pressures faced by the NHS caused by funding, staffing, the knock on effects of the coronavirus pandemic and the strikes by nurses and ambulance workers.

Many viewers were unhappy with the idea of the show causing disruption and further burden by being located inside the hospital while staff tried to attend to patients in need.

One complained: "What is the point of you being there? We all know that hospitals are extremely busy ! There are more and more people in the country every year, less resources , more pressure. No gain in you sitting there for viewers or for the hospital!"

And another declared: "GMB at Whiston Hospital, entire Prog dedicated to show NHS on its knees, I know, what exactly is this Prog hoping to achieve other than to tell me what I already know and I'm sorry I don't care what the occupation I don't venerate."

Another asked: "Why are you clogging up a hospital foyer? By all means cover the NHS crisis but you could do the anchoring or links or whatever it's called from the studio."

And one tweeted: "Seriously @GMB this outside broadcast from the hospital is awful. There is no need to be in a hospital. Also the sound quality is shocking, worst I’ve heard! #GMB #goodmorningbritain #breakfast #itv #Sound"

Lots of viewers agreed the sound quality from the hospital made the show unwatchable.

One said: "#GMB is bonkers. They've set up a make-shift 'studio' in a hospital with terrible sound, people rushing around them doing their work, while they sit chatting. The background is noisy, & it's jarring to see them sat there in a busy hospital. Just get back to the studio fgs."

Another tweeted: "#GMB unwatchable this morning. Sound all over the place. Really feel for the NHS staff having to work with this going on under their feet."

But some viewers were impressed with the show's efforts to highlight the issues surrounding the NHS and the reasons behind the nurses strikes.

One said: "It’s rare for me to praise @GMB and rarer still to praise Madeley & Garraway but their no bullshit treatment of the NHS strikes crisis today was excellent. 'Your door is locked and bolted' was the perfect response to the Government stooge claiming they were open to talks."

And another viewer tweeted: "Actually enjoying this insight into the NHS this morning. Even Richard Madeley is bearable this morning, actually listening to what staff are saying and allowing them to speak."

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Whiston Hospital welcomed Madeley and Garraway, tweeting: "We’ve let the @GMB cameras in today to show just how challenging things are across the NHS already this winter. Thank you to all our patients for the kindness and support you are showing to our staff, we truly appreciate it."

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