Ed Balls was ‘scarred’ after kicking Susanna Reid in the head live on Good Morning Britain

Ed Balls has revealed how he responded after he accidentally kicked Susanna Reid in the head on Good Morning Britain.

The former politician, 56, joked he was ‘scarred’ and had to ‘lie down’ after thumping the journalist, 53, in the head with his foot last week during a discussion about plane etiquette.

Laughing, Susanna, who previously shut down claims she overreacted like a ‘premier league football player’ to the knock, replied: ‘Blimey! You are?’

On today’s GMB, broadcast on ITV, Susanna began the show by explaining Ed had given her a grovelling apology, sending her a bunch of ‘lovely’ flowers and a sorry note.

‘Yesterday I failed to mention something hugely significant: you sent me the most lovely bunch of flowers and a sorry note for kicking me in the back of the head,’ she said.

Ed continued: ‘Yeah because I kicked you in the head, which is not a normal thing to say.’

Ed thumped Susanna as they were discussing plane etiquette (Picture: ITV)

Ed explained he kicked her after becoming ‘amazed’ he could lift his leg over the seat (Picture: ITV)

Agreeing, Susanna added: ‘It’s not a normal thing. There’s the video evidence. I was told I needed a VAR replay because I clearly hadn’t been hit, just like anyone who thinks I wasn’t hit, come and sit in the same seat and allow him to do the same thing to them and then you can tell me.

‘But you did send me this gorgeous bunch of flowers and I was very, very appreciative. You’re a very thoughtful man with very hard shoes.’

Ed explained he kicked Susanna after being ‘amazed’ he was able to lift his leg up as they simulated a flight he decided to raise his second, which caused him to kick her in the head.

Ed looked mortified after accidentally kicking Susanna in the head (Picture: ITV)

Susanna said Ed sent her a bunch of flowers after kicking her in the head (Picture: ITV)

After Ed explained what happened, Susanna brushed it off: ‘Anyway it is all forgotten.’

‘Not with me, I am scarred,’ he added.

Mock shocked, Susanna gasped: ‘You are! Blimey.’

Laughing, Ed joked: ‘I had to lie down.’

When the accident happened, Susanna and Ed had been debating whether it was ever OK to put your feet up on the seats.

Susanna got first-hand experience about the dangers of putting your feet up on the seats as she and Ed demonstrated the situation, sitting down in plane seats on set.

As she took her seat, Ed, sitting behind her, flung his feet up – and kicked her directly in the head.

‘I don’t know if I can carry on doing the show,’ Susanna said – looking as though she was only half joking.

Susanna later addressed the incident with co-host Ben (Picture: ITV)

An embarrassed Ed then put his hands up in admission of guilt, as Susanna said sarcastically: ‘Well, that is our debate – should you put your feet up on the seat?’

Ed then asked Susanna if she was alright, but she continued introducing the next segment, ignoring him.

As the show returned after a short break however she joked with Ed about the incident, saying they had never solved a debate so early in the show.

She later declared her vision ‘went blurry for about 20 minutes’ after she was kicked, but said there was ‘no lasting damage.’

Ed joked he was the one ‘scarred’ after the accident (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

However, after the episode aired she revealed she had been ‘inundated’ with messages claiming she was being dramatic.

On last Thursday’s show, presented by Susanna and Ben Shephard, the Tipping Point host asked how she was doing, to which she joked ‘I’m not sure which one of you I’m meant to be talking to this morning.’

Adding that Ed ‘clearly felt remorseful,’ she went on to say she had been ‘inundated with messages saying I should be a premier league footballer with a reaction like that.’

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Unimpressed, she went on: ‘I should point out, it was the hard heel of his shoe, swung with the full heft of his leg. I would describe that as a clonk.’

Ben cheerily described it as ‘a hefty Balls boot to the bonce,’ while Susanna said that despite it all, ‘I’m here, soldiering on.’

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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‘I had to lie down,’ Ed said.