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Privacy NoticeGood Morning Britain star Ed Balls has faced backlash, with some viewers taking to social media to complain after he interviewed his wife Yvette Cooper, who is the Home Secretary, during a segment of the show. Ed and Yvette tied the knot in 1998, becoming history-makers as the first married couple in the British cabinet when Yvette was appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury in January 2008. The pair have a close-knit family with their three children, daughters Ellie and Maddy, and son Joel. And on Monday, 5 August, Yvette joined her husband Ed, 57, and his co-host Kate Garraway to discuss the riots that have unfolded over the past week following the tragic deaths of three girls in Southport, reports the Mirror.
Ed Balls was joined on Good Morning Britain by co-host Kate Garraway
(Image: ITV screengrab)
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As they began the discussion, Kate kicked things off as she said: “Still to come, the home secretary will be joining us shortly and who Ed of course is married to. How has it been for you going through what you know being with the home secretary while all this has been happening?” In response, Ed shared: “There have been a few conversations but I haven’t seen her for the past week. When these events happen it’s tough.” Keen to delve deeper, Kate added: “So you have genuine questions you want answered. OK so we will be talking to her in a moment.” Speaking to Ed and Kate on the show, Yvette explained: “What we have seen on the streets in some cities and towns over the weekend is criminal violence and thuggery. That is what it is and that’s why it needs the full force of the law behind it. We’ve made it clear to the police that they have our full backing in order to go ahead with the full range of prosecution against those responsible and we expect to see swift justice.”
Ed’s wife Yvette Cooper appeared on GMB
(Image: ITV)
However, viewers at home had mixed reactions to the interview. Many criticised the decision to have Ed present the show while having Yvette, his wife, on as a guest – something which has previously come in for criticism on the show. One viewer tweeted: “#gmb although I think @edballs is brilliant on @GMB is it right that he is interviewing his wife @YvetteCooperMP I’m sure it will be fine. Just saying.” A second added: “There’s no way we would have accepted the spouse of a Conservative cabinet minister presenting GMB when they were in government, so surely Ed Balls has to go??”
Some questioned whether it was “right” to have Ed interview his wife Yvette
(Image: ITV screengrab)
Others also took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their opinions on Ed’s discussion with MP Zarah Sultana during the same episode. “It was painful to watch the disrespectful way Zarah was treated on GMB this morning. I was disappointed by Ed Balls manners,” wrote one. “Ed Balls should be sacked for his awful treatment of Zara, and how on earth is it right that you allow him to interview his own wife?,” another commented.Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnGood Morning BritainKate Garraway
