This Morning Faces Backlash Over “Horrible” Segment on Britain’s Ugliest Dog Contest
This Morning sparked outrage among viewers during its latest episode after featuring a segment on Britain’s Ugliest Dog competition. Many called the show “horrible” for promoting the contest, where one dog will be crowned as the UK’s “ugliest”, reported by the Mirror.
Tuesday’s episode, hosted by Cat Deeley and Dermot O’Leary, showcased the four finalists of the national contest. Dermot expressed discomfort while introducing the segment, saying, “This isn’t our title, I’m a bit uncomfortable with this. Britain’s ugliest dog.” Cat tried to keep the tone light, adding, “Oh, I love an ugly dog, and we are about to meet four of this year’s finalists, but only one worthy winner will clinch the coveted crown.”
The featured dogs strutted down a runway accompanied by their owners, but viewers were less than impressed with the premise of the contest. Many took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their disapproval, criticizing the competition as cruel and unnecessary.
“This is a horrible segment! Those poor dogs!” one viewer wrote. Another commented, “Those dogs are lovely and not ugly—what a strange segment.” Some questioned the ethics of such an event, with one user asking, “You wouldn’t have an ugliest person competition, why’s it ok with dogs?” Another viewer added, “This is s**t—they are lovely”, according to the Wales Online.
The segment recalled last year’s winner, Peggy, a Pug and Chinese Crested cross. Her owner, Holly Middleton from East Yorkshire, shared that Peggy’s unique appearance had always been a lighthearted topic among friends and family.
“We tend to forget Peggy isn’t your standard-looking dog, and we are very aware some people would refer to Peggy as ugly,” Holly said. “It’s always in a humorous way, and we don’t take offence, and neither does she.”
Despite winning the title, Holly emphasized Peggy’s inner beauty: “Even though some people find Peggy’s unusual appearance strange, and in rare cases off-putting, and despite Peggy winning the ugliest dog in the UK title, we think she is beautiful both inside and out and wouldn’t change her for the world.”
The backlash from viewers highlights ongoing concerns about how such contests might impact perceptions of animals, with many calling for a focus on celebrating the uniqueness and charm of all pets rather than labeling them negatively.