'Loose Women' host Carol McGiffin says she won't give up reserved train seats for pregnant women
Carol McGiffin caused a stir on Loose Women today when she admitted she would not give up her seat to a pregnant woman if she had reserved the spot for herself.
The panel were debating the issue of giving up reserved seats as they discussed the news story of the pregnant mother who said an elderly couple wouldn’t move from seats she had booked, when McGiffin was asked if she would let a pregnant woman have her seat.
The 59-year-old shared: "I would say no, because pregnant women are not sick, they are pregnant.
“It's quite simple and it's not my fault. I didn't make them pregnant."
Read more: Stacey Solomon felt like she'd 'failed' after struggling to breastfeed son Rex
Some ITV viewers weren't happy with McGiffin's words and shared their frustrations on Twitter.
Oh my god I could swing for Carol. “Pregnant women are pregnant not ill”. Boils my blood when people say this, especially as I’m 20 weeks in to a difficult pregnancy and still throwing up all day every day. Pregnancy is definitely not a walk in the park 😡 #LooseWomen
— Nikki (@DisDream84) October 25, 2019
‘Pregnant people are not ill’ - correct! But they do go through a lot of anatomical and physiological changes that put them at risk of collapses. I believe pregnant women should be offered a seat on a train or bus, if they fell over and injuries could occur. #LooseWomen
— Rebecca Cartledge (@BekkiCartledge) October 25, 2019
However, others voiced support for the presenter, suggesting that people were entitled to stay in a seat if they had gone to the effort of reserving one.
What a stupid debate. If you've reserved a seat, it's yours. You RESERVED it. Case closed. It doesn't matter if you're pregnant or elderly. #loosewomen
— Dave (@DavidMackayy) October 25, 2019
I'm with Carol here! I pay for and reserve my seat because even though it may look it...I'm not able to stand...so if you need a seat do the same! #LooseWomen
— Carl Johnson (@carljtweets) October 25, 2019
The Loose Women debate comes after a mother used Twitter to criticise an elderly couple who were sitting in train seats she had reserved for her children.
Amanda Mancino-Williams described how she had booked seats on the train traveling from Cheltenham to Nottingham but found an elderly couple sitting in two of them who she claims did not move when she asked them to.
She shared a photo of her three children sharing two seats opposite the couple, before sharing that the conductor offered the family seats in first class at a spare table.
On the story, McGiffin opined: "They should have reserved their own. I am sorry but it would never happen on a plane.
"There must have been other seats on that train for them to sit."
She also told her colleagues she's had "big fights" in the past after reserving a train seat only to find someone sitting in it.
