‘Do people hate vegans?’: Good Morning Britain sparks controversy for hosting debate

‘You can’t invite them anywhere’

(Good Morning Britain/ITV)

Good Morning Britain has left viewers divided after hosting a heated debate titled: “Do people hate vegans?”.

The segment was arranged in response to the controversies surrounding William Sitwell, the former Waitrose Food magazine editor who resigned after his comments about “killing vegans”.

TV Presenter Adrian Chiles, who follows a plant-based diet, and radio host Niall Boylan, who doesn’t, appeared on the ITV daytime show to discuss whether or not vegans were irritating.

Boylan argued that he did in fact find vegans rather irritating.

“You can’t invite them out, you can’t go anywhere with them,” he told host Susanna Reid.

The 4FM presenter went on to say that vegans are always “moaning at the waiter” in restaurants, saying things like “does that have gluten in it?” - although, given that it isn’t an animal product, gluten is actually something vegans can eat.

However, when Reid pointed this out, Boylan stood by his claim, arguing that “there’s a trend, vegans normally move on to gluten as well because they like to get into all the fads”.

He also said the most vegans embark on the diet “usually because a mate is doing it” and claimed that 60 per cent of people who start eating this way actually quit after three months.

Meanwhile, Chiles responded by explaining how his views towards animal cruelty prompted him to go vegan: “I don’t think any animal has to die to feed me,” he said.

The discussion prompted a furore on social media, with one person labelling it a “ridiculous" debate.

Another argued that “people who deride vegans subconsciously feel guilty”.

One person concurred that the supposed hatred stems from “repressed guilt,” writing: “I think people hate vegans so much, because we know killing animals is kind of wrong, and they’re pointing it out”.

However, some people agreed with Boylan, describing veganism as “a cult”, taking issue with vegans who tell others how to eat.

“The reason people hate vegans is they preach what we should and shouldn’t eat,” wrote one person, “also if you made a meal, you would have to shop specially for them. Yet, if they cooked you a meal you have to eat what they eat”.

Despite its controversies, veganism is becoming an increasingly popular diet in the UK, with a new report revealing that one in eight Britons now follow either a vegan or vegetarian diet while a third are actively trying to reduce their meat intake.