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This Morning viewers outraged as guest compares losing her BROTHEL to the death of a child

It came after Bradley Lowery's parents spoke about losing their little boy to cancer on today's show

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This Morning viewers were left outraged during Wednesday’s show after Madam Vivien Walden compared losing her brothel business to losing a child.

Her controversial remarks came shortly after Bradley Lowery’s parents appeared on the show to talk about losing their six-year-old son to cancer back in July.

Vivien spoke to hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield about her business which she ran with footballer hubby Billy Walden.

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Vivien explained that she was raised in a religious family but felt she was “born a rebellious child”.

She told the presenters: “I was born a rebellious child and it was in me from a young age.

“I didn’t want to follow how it was in the Jewish religion that you would marry someone of the same religion.

“My mother instilled in me that the stage was where to perform but I chose a different stage.”

She explained that after meeting husband Billy they decided to open a brothel in Manchester which Vivien described as her “baby”.

Vivien, who wants brothels to be legalised in England, went on to reveal that she wasn’t able to have children so her girls became her children.

She said: “I discovered I couldn’t have children so the girls became my family and I nurtured them.”

But in 2009 her business was shut down and Vivien was left serving a six-month prison sentence for running an illegal business.

Phil asked Vivien: “How did it feel that night when the doors were kicked in and you were raided?”

Vivien replied: “How does it feel when you lose your baby?”

She added: “I was devastated.”

But viewers watching from home were angered by her response and slammed Vivien for comparing the two.

One tweeted: “She did not just compare having her brothel raided and closed to losing a baby?! #ThisMorning.”

“Did she really just compare losing her brothel to losing a baby,” another said.

A third wrote: “Really annoyed that she just compared her brothel being raided to losing a baby!”

Others were outraged because the show had featured an emotional interview with Bradley’s parents earlier on in the show.

One raged: “Such insensitivity when Bradley’s parents on same show comparing losing her brothel to losing a baby.”

Another wrote: “Did she just compare losing her business to losing a baby, poor Bradley’s parents sitting in that building!!”

“This madame on #ThisMorning said her brothel being raided was like losing a kid. They had on Bradley’s family who actually experienced that,” another added.

Bradley’s parents Gemma and Carl appeared on today’s show to talk about keeping their son’s legacy alive.

The youngster was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer when he was 19-months-old. He was then given the all clear in 2014 but relapsed 18 months later and sadly didn’t survive.

Gemma then explained that when they were told about Bradley’s illness they were determined to fight with “everything we had”.

She said: “We knew we had to fight with everything we had. We just had to give him all [the medication] that was available at the time.”

Bradley’s hero footballer Jermain Defoe then joined them via video call and expressed his love for little Bradley.

He told Holly and Phil: “[Our connection] was something that was special. An instant connection.

“I remember before the game his energy was amazing for a child that was unwell.

“He touched my life in a big way and it was difficult when I would see him before the game and he was in pain. I didn’t want to leave him.

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“But his fight and strength went such a long way.”

He added: “Every day I think about him and before every game.

“He used to walk out with me and I’m so used to him being beside me and every day I wake up and think about Brad. I feel so blessed I had that relationship with him and his family.”


Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)

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