Viewers of Seven Year Switch urged Michelle to dump her “caveman” husband George after the level of profane abuse he casually used during an argument was revealed.
Rachel, George’s partner for the spouse-swapping Channel 4 series, was shocked George had called his wife a, er stupid [bleeping bleep] during an exercise where the couples read through transcripts of their previous arguments.
George squirmed as he relived the embarrassing squabble in front of a staggered and offended Rachel who admitted she “couldn’t believe” the foul language he used.
Read more: Seven Year Switch husband branded “disgusting chauvinistic man-child” over shameful insult to wife
“Even when Tom and I argue, we don’t swear,” Rachel told him.
George stammered in reply: “Well I do. I do swear quite a bit.”
“I’d be really offended if you said that to me,” she added, before reflecting away from George: “I was embarrassed for both of them, actually.”
But after George claimed the insults were “not the worst thing” he could have called the mother of his child, he went on to express a hint of remorse, saying: “I’m not condoning it. I’m not proud of it.”
“I’m not saying I’m perfect. Far from,” he added.
George later told relationship therapist Lee Valls the exercise had left him feeling angry rather than empowered.
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However, once Lee had spelled it out for him, George seemed to cotton on how a little bit of appreciation can go a long way.
Saying he didn’t need feel the need to say every ‘little’ thank you to Michelle – for every cup of tea made for him by her, for example – George had a light bulb moment after he realised showing his gratitude might mean something to somebody other than him.
“I know exactly what you mean,” he told Lee. “To her, the little appreciation things are important.”
Reflecting on his chat with the therapist, he said: “It has completely opened my eyes. I actually get the exercise now.”
George continued: “The little things are more important to her than they are to me, which is why I don’t do it.
“But to her, those little things are her way of showing me she really appreciates me.
“And I don’t see it, which is blind of me. How [bleep] is that?”
Too little too late for many viewers, whose opinion of George continued to harden after his “chauvinistic” behaviour in the previous episode.
Ok and breath everyone! Let’s all be grateful we only have George in our lives 1 hour a week! And be thankful its only through the tv! Poor Michelle! #sevenyearswitch
— Ruth Martin (@ruthiejean22) March 20, 2018
How the hell did a young woman like Michelle marry such a backward thinking neanderthal in the 21st Century🤔 #sevenyearswitch
George, aka, ‘Me Me’, is going to be a very, lonely old man, with dirty creased clothes.— Beady Debs ♿🌹#TBI #PTSD (@BeadArtist1) March 20, 2018
I hate George!!! How on earth has Michelle put up with him #sevenyearswitch
— Janine Hunt (@janine1802) March 20, 2018
A meltdown later in the episode over a pic of a ‘topless’ Michelle in the pool with her show partner Tom – that also left Rachel in tears – failed to sway the tide of Twitter opinion.
Furiously suggesting the snap could end their relationship, George raged: “She knows that would send me over the edge and she still did it.
“No care, no regard. I’ll just lay here naked on a lilo with a stranger and cameramen all around me. I don’t give a [bleep].
“I’m working 100 miles an hour to be a better husband and be a better dad and she’s naked on a lilo.
“I don’t want to be with her. Why would I want to now?”
Viewers pondered why she would want to be with him, too.
George is such a caveman #sevenyearswitch
— Sal (@fookat) March 20, 2018
#sevenyearswitch tom needs to tell Rachel to sod off with her over the top expectations. And Michelle needs to leave George asap.
— Salv Mancuso (@Salv1992) March 20, 2018
#sevenyearswitch That George gives blokes a bad name. 21st century mate. Get your iron out you muppet. She can do miles better than him 👀
— Kevin Fitzpatrick (@FitzpatrickKev) March 20, 2018
Just to clarify, I HAD a bikini top on, I undid the strap to tan my back. I went to get up and realised that it wasn’t done up hence I said ‘I haven’t got my bra on’ 🤗 #sevenyearswitch #7yearswitch
— michellebingley (@MichelleBingley) March 21, 2018
Seven Year Switch is on Channel 4, Tuesdays at 9.15pm.
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