Kate Garraway hits out at school for banning pupils from using fake tan

Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway has hit out at a school for banning its pupils from using fake tan.

Garraway shared her views on the matter following the news that the headmaster of Ulverston Victoria High School in Cumbria banned fake tan for its pupils after some of them came back from half-term apparently looking ‘fairly orange’.

“I think maybe it’s a step too far,” she began. “I think fake tans are actually a good thing.”

Her co-host for the day Ben Shephard looked bemused as he replied: “Even when you’re a student at school?”

Garraway continued: “Look, no one’s saying that when you go to school you should be thinking about your tan. Of course you shouldn’t be thinking about makeup and boys and social media – everyone knows that.

“But teenagers do think about their appearance. And as an alternative to sun beds and frying in the sun – like I’m ashamed to say I did.

“I used to put olive oil on my skin because I wanted to look like George Michael in the ’80s. You know, that reddy-brown mahogany look?”

Later in the programme, Garraway and Shephard continued the debate with Katie Ivens, the Vice Chairman of the Campaign for Real Eduction, who argued that pupils should be focusing on gaining knowledge, rather than their appearance.

“There is too much focus in our education system on ‘feel good, me, me, me,” said Ivens. “The focus should honestly be on teaching the children, so they get the knowledge.

“Once you get to school, it doesn’t really matter what you’ve got on your face or what you haven’t got on your face – your focus should be on the knowledge.”

Garraway argued that fake tan can give students confidence to learn and be present in the classroom, but Ivens insisted that it only encourages them to focus on their appearance and that they should instead be focused on learning.

Read more
Stacey Solomon reveals fears for children over horrifying Momo Challenge
Simon Mayo opens up about his “easy” decision to leave BBC Radio 2
Chris Evans reveals he and his wife found maggots in their bed