This Morning slammed for cooking & eating squirrel live on TV as Exmoor Squirrel Project add rodents to menu

This Morning hosted the Exmoor Squirrel Project which encourages people to eat grey squirrels as a way of protecting red squirrels, culminating in cooking & eating the rodent live on the ITV show
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ITV’s This Morning has come under fire for a segment which showed presenters Holly Willouby and Phillp Schofield eating Squirrel. A grey squirrel was cooked by inhouse chef Phil Vickery and Schofield ate some of what he described as “chewy” meat live on camera.

The meal came as part of a segment which involved a discussion with Exmoor Squirrel Project, a conservation project which seeks to protect red squirrels. The eating of grey squirrels was pitched as a way of allowing the red squirrel population to thrive once more.

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Perhaps unsurprisingly, the segment received plenty of reaction on social media. A number of Twitter users left their thoughts and feelings in the comments.

One wrote: “Well if urban grey squirrels who live in our towns and cities are classed as vermin. Why don’t you have some urban rat as well, who are also a pest amongst other wildlife including us. Why not have a rat burger!”

Others were just as vocal about not trying squirrel. Another wrote: “Absolutely not a hope in hell,” with a Twitter user adding: “Can’t move fast enough to catch the little blighters ,no sorry just couldn’t.”

Acting manager of the Exmoor Squirrel Project Kerry Hosegood said that they plan to put squirrels on the menu in local eateries. She said: "We’re going to introduce them to restaurants in the Exmoor area because they actually make for good eating.

"There’s no waste there. They’ll be put to some good use instead of being put in a hole in the ground."