Susanna Reid defends Richard Madeley over ‘insensitive’ Hamas comments

Susanna Reid has addressed Richard Madeley’s ‘insensitive’ Hamas comments (Picture: ITV)

Susanna Reid has defended Richard Madeley over his ‘insensitive’ Hamas comments.

The Good Morning Britain presenter, 67, was widely criticised in October for’vile’ interview techniques on the daytime show.

Thousands complained to Ofcom, with GMB issuing apologies on Madeley’s behalf.

Now, fellow presenter Reid has fought his corner, hailing him a ‘legend’ of broadcasting, despite viewers calling for him to get the chop.

Shaking her head at the proposal, Reid, 52, told The Sun: ‘Richard Madeley is a legend in broadcasting.’

‘He’s the founder of This Morning, he’s been doing it longer than any of us and he’s got a particular way with politicians,’ she added.

The Good Morning Britain host attracted thousands of complaints in October (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

‘If they don’t want to answer the questions, he’ll end the interview – he did that with Gavin Williamson when he was defence secretary.

‘Richard is a bit bolder sometimes with his wording, but I think a lot of viewers wonder why other people get offended by what he’s said.’

Viewers initially called for Madeley to be sacked after he asked British Palestinian MP Layla Moran if she had been made aware of Hamas’ terror attacks on Israel before the fighting began on October 7.

On GMB, Madeley asked: ‘With your family connection in Gaza, did you have any indication of what was going to happen 10 days ago? Was there any word on the street about it?’

The Liberal Democrat politician, who is the MP for Oxford West and Abingdon and condemned the attacks, replied: ‘Not this. Everyone has been surprised by the timing, sophistication [and] the way that it has happened.’

It’s understood that GMB was in contact with the MP following the interview, with a spokesperson issuing an apology that said: ‘Richard is sorry that he has upset viewers with his question to Layla Moran. His intention was to understand the mood and atmosphere amongst the civilian population of Gaza immediately before the attacks.

Layla Moran received an apology from GMB after Madeley’s interview (Picture: PA)

‘He asked Layla about her family in Gaza City because she had discussed speaking to them earlier in the interview. He did not mean to imply that she or her family might have had any prior knowledge of the attacks.’

Co-star Reid has now said that Moran dealt with Madeley’s line of questioning ‘with enormous grace’ and has assured she ‘wasn’t offended.’

‘In fact, when she was asked about it subsequently, she said it was a total distraction from the real issue.’

She added that Madeley brings ‘so much’ to GMB as a host, ‘including a really loyal audience.’

This wasn’t the only Hamas-related controversy Madeley was embroiled in recently.

Despite attracting 2,000 complaints with his first interview with Moran, Madeley later sparked anger once more when interviewing the son of a Hamas kidnapping victim.

Viewers called for Madeley to be sacked due to his questioning of the son of a Hamas kidnapping victim (Picture: ITV)

He asked if the interviewee felt ‘comforted’ knowing the conditions his mother was being held in (Picture: ITV)

‘Were you comforted by what appears to be the relatively reasonable treatment the hostages are getting?’ Madeley questioned him, explaining that hostages were being fed the same food as their captors and given water.

In reply, the interviewee said: ‘Richard, we wouldn’t have the conversation if it would be good guys on the other side. That wouldn’t be the case, you wouldn’t talk to me right now.’

He added: ‘I don’t want to have conversations about the conditions, I want my mum back.

‘I’m a son, you as parents just think about what that means if someone needs to fight for your lives and doesn’t know for 19 days now.

‘So the conversations should go back to why we’re talking to begin with, and that’s my message.’

Madeley has been a frequent face on GMB since 2017 (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

After watching the segment, viewers of the programme were left stunned.

Social media users lambasted his ‘ridiculous’ questions, with one saying Madeley has the ‘sensitivity of a brick.’

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.

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Thousands called for Madeley to be sacked from GMB.