They often have a wide variety of guests on the show.
And, Eamonn Holmes, 61, struggled to hold it together as taxidermist Chloe Lee, 25, sat with her dead pet cat named Nicki on the This Morning couch, on Wednesday, in a segment titled: ‘I stuffed my dead cat’.
While the presenter remained composed, viewers were left ‘traumatised’ as Chloe explained how she first got into the practice aged 14 using a ‘blunt knife’ on a dead squirrel.
Taxidermy is the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals with lifelike effect.
What!? Eamonn Holmes, 61, struggled to hold it together as taxidermist Chloe Lee, 25, sat with her dead pet cat named Nicki on the This Morning couch, on Wednesday
The young taxidermist explained to Eamonn and wife Ruth Langsford, 61, that Nicki died when she was aged 16, saying: ‘I had her since she was a kitten. It was one of our cats that had her so I’ve had her from day dot.
‘I get so much comfort [from the stuffed animal]. I hated the fact of parting with the animal, burying them and never seeing them again.
‘Having her in the corner of the room being able to stroke her if I want to is really great.’
Chloe also revealed that she stuffed the cat herself, explaining in graphic detail the process and how she had a mental barrier to get over.
‘I stuffed my dead cat!’ Taxidermy is the art of preparing, stuffing, and mounting the skins of animals with lifelike effect
Composed: While the presenter remained composed, viewers were left ‘traumatised’ as Chloe explained how she first got into the practice aged 14 using a ‘blunt knife’ on a dead squirrel
Dead cat: The young taxidermist explained to Eamonn and wife Ruth Langsford, 61, that Nicki died when she was aged 16
She said: ‘But because I’ve been doing taxidermy for a while…her being pretty, remembered and loved is what got me through.’
Asked why she didn’t have someone else stuff her cat, Chloe insisted: ‘Another taxidermist doesn’t know Nicki like I know her, I have close good reference pictures of her.
‘Mostly I saw her sleeping and so I wanted that (position). Plus her being my first cat I was worried about doing open eye in case I got that wrong.’
Chloe has now been doing taxidermy for 11 years, revealing that her interest was first sparked when she was in a garden centre and there was a stuffed bird. That led on to finding out about taxidermy was and asking questions.
She explained: ‘Back then it wasn’t really in fashion, and I would buy things with my pocket money and worked my way up.
Oh my! Chloe also revealed that she stuffed the cat herself, explaining in graphic detail the process and how she had a mental barrier to get over
Show and tell: Chloe has now been doing taxidermy for 11 years, revealing that her interest was sparked when she saw a stuffed bird in a garden centre (Pictured: Chloe’s stuffed rabbit)
‘I want to say I never kill anything and never would. I get donations and roadkill. It’s surprising what kind of phone calls I get. There are some who actually do like the idea of it being quirkier, but mostly like the natural look.
‘I always grew up thinking of waste and I didn’t want to see these animals as maggot food. Taxidermy isn’t for everyone and that’s fine.
Chloe revealed that her first taxidermy project was when she was aged 14 and found a little squirrel which had died outside.
She explained: ‘I thought it’s so beautiful I can’t let it go to waste. I had a really blunt knife. I think I was curious and the need to want to preserve this little animal drove me to do it.’
In another awkward twist, celebrity chef Nisha Katona could be heard trying to fire up a gas stove in the background ahead of her cooking segment, while Chloe was talking.
Professional: Chloe revealed that her first taxidermy project was when she was aged 14 and found a little squirrel which had died outside (Pictured: Pets which Chloe has stuffed)
Thinking back: ‘I had a really blunt knife. I think I was curious and the need to want to preserve this little animal drove me to do it,’ explained Chloe of her first taxidermy experience
Viewers took to social media to voice their concern over the taxidermy segment, with one person tweeting: ‘Was there a trigger warning for this taxidermy bit? Because there definitely should have been #ThisMorning.’
‘Would have been nice to get a warning. It’s too raw to see something like that after losing a pet #ThisMorning,’ added someone else.
‘Quite traumatised looking at this stuffed cat and then looking at my alive cat right next to me!! just how could you!!! ITV get her off #ThisMorning,’ fumed another viewer.
One fan of the show tweeted: ‘She had a BLUNT knife… This is creepy. all I’m seeing is someone who valued that animal as a possession and not as a life #ThisMorning.’
‘Just imagine having your dead pet just there on the floor stuffed just looking at you… It’s a bit selfish to let your pet die in peace and bury it instead of stuffing it for your own pleasure… It’s creepy as f**k #ThisMorning,’ slammed someone else.
Social reaction: Viewers took to Twitter to voice their concern over the taxidermy segment