PIERS MORGAN sparked an online backlash after airing his ‘sexist’ views on women’s boxing to Olympic champion Nicola Adams.
The Good Morning Britain host has spoken out in the past about how he is opposed to watching women punching each other.
But his views took on a new level of criticism during the show when host Steve Backshall branded him a “sexist”.
Morgan said: “I don’t like seeing women punch each other in the head.
“My point is I just don’t like watching it. Am I a bad person?”
At that point Backshall, who is married to two-time Olympic gold medal winner rower Helen Glover, said: “That probably makes you a bit sexist.”
Morgan replied: “So it makes me sexist saying that I don’t like watching women punching each other?”
Backshall then said: “If you’re completely cool with men doing it, then yeah.”
Co-host Susanna Reid joked: "I think a little bit sexist is the kindest way Piers has been described in some circles."
Adams, without shooting down Morgan's opinion entirely, compared his distaste for women's boxing to her disdain for curling.
She said: "I'm not really the biggest fan of curling. I don't like watching that sport. For me it's not very fun to watch.
"That's just my opinion. And for you with women's boxing and your opinion you just don't really like watching women punching each other."
Put some on social media weren't so diplomatic.
One user wrote: "Well done @SteveBackshall for calling out @piersmorgan on his sexist attitudes to women in boxing."
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Another said: "Does Piers Morgan not realise that no one is actually asking him to watch women's boxing?"
A fellow Tweeter posted: "If you said you didn't like to watch people of a certain race boxing then it'd be racist. Therefore, saying the same about women is sexist."
Some came out in favour of Morgan, though.
One wrote: "I don't think it makes you sexist. It's down to personal choice. I enjoy women's boxing, I enjoy MMA."
And a fellow user wrote: "I hate agreeing with @piersmorgan but he is spot on with the boxing comment so why is it sexist?"
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