Nigel Farage clashes with Ed Balls on ITV's Good Morning Britain in "prickly" row

Good Morning Britain viewers were fiercely divided by the arrival of Nigel Farage on the show this morning (17 April).

The GB News presenter appeared on the ITV breakfast programme via video link from Brussels, with many viewers switching off at the mere sight of the former UKIP leader. Viewers took to social media to air their thoughts, with one saying, “It's not even half past eight in the morning and Nigel Farage is on my TV” and another adding “Time to switch channels”.

The interview started with Ed Balls issuing an apology to Farage after the two clashed on-air last time around. Farage was coming off the back of his I’m A Celebrity appearance at the time. Balls said: “I thought you were getting a bit touchy, I mentioned it a moment ago. I didn’t understand at the time, I think actually the reason was because I compared you to Matt Hancock and for that, I’ve just got to offer you a full and wholesome apology.”

This got a laugh out of Farage, but the initially polite interview soon turned awkward once again as the conversation switched back towards politics. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss - who lasted just 50 days in Downing Street - has endorsed Farage to return to the Conservative party.

The ITV presenter said: “I don’t want to upset you again Nigel, but let’s be honest, is an endorsement from Liz Truss, likely to help you in your future political career?”

“I’ve got no intentions of joining this Conservative party, at this moment in time,” Farage replied. “I have absolutely no idea what they stand for on any issue at all, nor do they. We’re right at the end of 14 years of total failure, so it’s very sweet of Liz Truss to say that but I won’t be joining the Conservative party. In terms of what I may or may not do, I simply haven’t yet decided.”

Balls asked “Eighth time lucky?” which appeared to somewhat rile Farage, who still replied with a wry smile.

He said: “Well I’ve won two national elections Ed, leading two different political parties running for the European parliament, no one has ever done that before. It’s all very easy for people like you that were elected to parliament as members of the labour party to think, ’Oh aren’t we big and important, why can't Farage get elected?’”