We’ve officially hit the stage of the cost of living crisis where payment of energy bills is being offered as a competition prize on daytime TV show This Morning.
The Wheel of Fortune-style competition has sparked quite the reaction on social media. One person tweeted: “This Morning having ‘energy bills’ as a prize on their Spin To Win is the most dystopian and sad reflection on society right now… How did we get to this point? Madness.”
Typical energy bills could soar above £3,500 from October, when the price cap is raised again. So, logically, having your energy bills paid could actually be worth a lot more than the £1,000 top prize on offer.
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Twitter users were quick to call out the show for being “tone deaf” while people face bleak struggles to heat their house and feed their families. There have been warnings that people will die this winter without urgent action from the government to tackle huge bills.
Presenters Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby stood by a shiny, golden wheel as colourful lights flashed in the studio. A year ago, the competition prize would have been a holiday.
TV critic Scott Bryan called out the programme for turning the cost of living crisis into trivial fun. He tweeted: “It feels completely out of touch and dystopian for ‘energy bills’ to be paid as a lighthearted game show feature,” adding: “Honestly I’ve never seen anything so tone deaf in my life.”