Sky News viewers were left confused by the broadcaster’s decision to announce Holly Willoughby’s This Morning departure live from a war zone.
Speaking live in Jerusalem, presenter Mark Austin paused ongoing coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict to focus on ITV matters.
Willoughby announced she is stepping down from This Morning after 14 years on the ITV show.
People took to X to vent their confusion and frustration at the bizarre move from Sky News.
Mark Austin paused Sky's coverage to focus on Willoughby
PA / SKY NEWS
One commented: “Is it not a bit tone deaf to be reporting this from an active war zone?”
“Shame on you”, another poster said. “There is people dying in Israel and Ukraine and you’re focused on a story of a woman that doesn’t need any more publicity”.
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In a more sarcastic tone, one user stated “bet everyone in Jerusalem is praying for Holly at this difficult time”.
Sky News are facing calls to “apologise” with X account holders branding the editorial decision “shameful”.
More than 1,000 people have died in Israel, according to the Israel Defence Forces’ Army radio, with 900 dying in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, since the conflict broke out on Saturday.
World leaders such as Joe Biden and Rishi Sunak have pledged their support to Israel, adding the country has every right to respond.
Smoke rises following Israeli strikes in GazaReutersHamas has claimed it is holding more than 100 captives from Israel, including Israeli army officers.
Gaza is under fire from Israel with deadly airstrikes resulting in the displacement of more than 100,000 people.
Swathes of Palestinians have been sent to overwhelmed hospitals with the military carrying out Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu’s demand of a “complete siege”.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has warned Britons against shows of support for Hamas after thousands took to the streets adorned in pro-Palestine flags.
Sunak reminded the public that Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip and facilitated a deadly attack on Israel at the weekend, is a “proscribed terror organisation” banned in the UK.
“People should not be supporting Hamas and we will make sure that we hold people to account if they are,” he told broadcasters on Tuesday.
The Prime Minister leader said police have been given “clear guidance” to “clamp down on any behaviour that falls foul of the law”.
Sunak has looked to reassure Britain’s Jewish community in the wake of Hamas’s surprise assault that they will be protected, using a visit to a north London synagogue on Monday to tell those gathered for prayer that he stands by Israel.
It comes after police separated pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel groups in west London on Monday evening, with the flare-up of the conflict sparking reaction in British communities.