Lorraine Kelly blasted for 'no empathy' response as she announces Kim Woodburn's death on live TV
Presenter Lorraine Kelly has received backlash for the manner in which she announced the death of TV icon Kim Woodburn on her programme.
Yesterday (17 June) it was confirmed the How Clean Is Your House and Celebrity Big Brother star had passed away at the age of 83 after a short illness.
A representative for Woodburn's family confirmed the news with the following statement: "It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved Kim Woodburn passed away yesterday (16 June) following a short illness.
"Kim was an incredibly kind, caring, charismatic and strong person. Her husband Peter is heartbroken at the loss of his soulmate.
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"We are so proud of the amazing things Kim achieved in her life and career. We kindly ask that Kim’s husband and close friends are given the time and privacy they need to grieve.
"We will not be releasing any further details."
The news of Woodburn's passing coincided with the beginning of the Scottish presenter's morning show Lorraine, which saw the 65-year-old announce the sad news on her programme.
"News just breaking in the last few minutes. Kim Woodburn, who I’m sure you know, well she’s died at the age of 83," said to the camera, before sharing details of the statement from Woodburn's family.
Watch the moment below to see the full comment from Lorraine:
The brief statement didn't go down too well with viewers at home, with several people accusing the presenter of acting insensitively towards the news.
"I’m actually shocked at the lack of empathy Lorraine showed announcing the death of Kim Woodburn. Surely professionalism would dictate that you hide contempt for someone when announcing their death," said one viewer on Twitter.
"Lorraine just announced the Kim Woodburn death with the warmth and empathy like she was announcing the M1 was shut for roadworks," penned a second, while a third added: "They didn’t stop the music. Lorraine didn’t offer condolences to her family and friends. She sounded jolly and showed no sympathy.
"Continued on to the next segment like it was nothing. That’s concerning that someone acts and behaves like that when someone has died."
"I’m actually shocked at the lack of empathy Lorraine showed announcing the death of Kim Woodburn," commented a fourth person.
Meanwhile tributes have poured in for Woodburn throughout the TV world, with her former How Clean Is Your House co-star Aggie MacKenzie calling her an 'unforgettable woman'.
"Kim was a tormented soul, but now she’s finally at peace," she said in a statement. "We clashed often. Behind the fierce persona was deep pain and incredible strength.
"She survived because she had to. I hope she’s resting now. She was an unforgettable woman."
LADbible has approached ITV and a representative for Lorraine Kelly for comment.
Topics: ITV, TV, Social Media, Celebrity
Brenna Cooper