Anthea Turner causes controversy with obesity comments

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 2d

Anthea Turner sparks fury on Twitter after she appears to suggest a link between "lazy lifestyle choices" and the coronavirus lockdown.

Anthea Turner has sparked controversy on Twitter by appearing to suggest that overweight people have made the coronavirus crisis worse.

The former breakfast TV presenter, 60, tweeted out a cartoon image of an obese woman, who was depicted in a wheelchair clutching a McDonald's bag, telling another woman: "Put a mask on! You're putting my health at risk!"

Turner followed up the picture with the explanation: "I'm incensed by the selfish attitudes of people who can't see we actually are 'all in this together' and wilful destruction has an impact on us all especially those with other illnesses pushed down the line & charities who are missing out on funding We have to take responsibility.

"If the government put half the amount of money into health as they have in locking us up we wouldn't be in this mess. Keep McDonald's open and close gyms many council run and open air - Great."

In a reply to another user, she wrote: "Sadly those of us who have genuinely tried to protect the NHS by looking after our bodies are paying the terrible price for those who have chosen lazy lifestyle choices."

Turner quickly became a trending topic on Twitter as many followers reacted with outrage, with Piers Morgan writing: "What the hell is this? Have you lost your mind, Anthea? Just despicable. You're blaming 120,000+ covid deaths on the victims being lazy? What a repellent, dumb & grotesquely offensive attitude. Shame on you."

The former GMTV host later deleted the picture and apologised for the "clumsy" post but continued to insist that the pandemic should serve as "a bloody big health wakeup call".