Loose Women star Gloria Hunniford touched a nerve with viewers with comments she made about Oprah Winfrey’s weight as the TV legend turned 70 this week

Loose Women fans have called for the ITV daytime show to be “binned” after Gloria Hunniford became embroiled in a fat-shaming row.

It came after the veteran broadcaster made comments about TV legend Oprah Winfrey’s weight as she turned 70 this week, which were branded “unacceptable” by viewers. Despite saying she was a huge fan of Oprah’s, Gloria followed it up with: “Oprah fluctuates a lot. Sometimes she’s very overweight and now she looks great. She’s very, very thin.”

And it wasn’t long before fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to blast the 83-year-old over her choice of words on Monday afternoon’s show. One fumed: “Gloria is essentially saying that women are only beautiful and accomplished if they’re ‘very, very thin’. Very telling that it’s her first thought when discussing Oprah. This show is toxic and should be binned #LooseWomen.”

“Gloria’s comments about Oprah’s weight as usual were unacceptable and off topic. She’s just awful. Get her off!” said another. A third chimed in: “’She looks fantastic. She’s very very thin’. Okaaaaay.”

While a fourth compared Gloria to Cliff Richard who appeared to make fat-shaming remarks about Elvis Presley while being interviewed This Morning host Alison Hammond last year and added: “Gloria being a little fatphobic like her beloved Cliff Richard #loosewomen.”

The Mirror has approached reps for Gloria and Loose Women for comment.

The Mirror has approached reps for Gloria and Loose Women for comment.

Fans were quick to applaud the Big Brother star for her handling of Cliff’s comments, with many taking to X to share their support. Not everyone interpreted Cliff’s statement as offensive, however, with one person arguing, “Being generous to Cliff I think he was probably trying to say he was young & foolish and paid the price by losing his only chance to meet Elvis. I’m pretty sure his words came out wrong & he regretted it straight away. Cliff is from a time when stars had to look a certain way.”