Good Morning Britain viewers were left outraged when presenter Richard Madeley appeared to have a dig at beloved broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.
The TV host, 62, was accused by viewers of dissing the national treasure during a debate with Dr Gail Bradbrook about the climate change campaigns in London.
During the chat, Dr Bradbrook, the co-founder of the Extinction Rebellion, said she was worried for the future of young people.
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"I have two boys, 10 and 13, and they won't have enough food to eat in a few years' time," she said.
"Sir David Attenborough said the collapse of this civilisation could happen soon."
Following this, Madeley appeared to question Dr Bradbrook's source, saying: "He's not a saint you know. He's just a broadcaster."
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Ensue horrified gasps.
Understandably, the comment outraged Attenborough fans nationwide, who took to Twitter to defend their hero.
One user wrote: "David Attenborough is NOT 'just' a broadcaster... Without him and his documentaries, we as a human race would not currently know the extent of the world's destruction cause by our own race! He is a living legend and should be listened to at all costs!"
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Another raged: "The man has committed his entire life to his trade and I find that remark insulting," before calling on Madeley to "show some respect".
Others have called on the TV host to make a public apology to the natural history veteran.
Sir David Attenborough has been broadcasting nature shows since the 70s and is best known for his series of groundbreaking BBC documentaries on nature, wildlife and planet earth.
The broadcaster has been credited with opening the world's eyes to the issues surrounding climate change with his groundbreaking documentaries, in particular, Blue Planet II, which highlighted the world's plastic problem.
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Attenborough's most recent series, Our Planet, has been met with critical acclaim.
Featured Image Credit: ITV/PATopics: Good Morning Britain, Celebrity News, david attenborough, Celebrity Entertainment