Kate Garraway sparked amused reactions after making an awkward remark during a live GMB interview.
The ITV presenter and Tom Swarbrick were speaking to pianist Grace Matthews today (Aug 13), who learnt to play after losing all her fingers following a serious childhood illness. As Kate turned the conversation to piano technique, her choice of words quickly caught viewers’ attention.
Grace was already familiar to TV audiences after appearing on Channel 4’s The Piano, hosted by Claudia Winkleman. Viewers were impressed by the way she had adapted her playing technique after losing her fingers.
“People talk about the skill of fingering in the piano,” Kate said, prompting Grace to giggle.
Kate appeared not to notice the accidental innuendo and continued: “Of the strength of the fingers, the spread of fingers and you just approached this head on without that.”
GMB viewers react to Kate Garraway’s remark
Viewers soon shared their amusement on social media as the interview continued.
One user joked: “Good Morning Britain took a turn this morning.”
Another viewer wrote: “Ohhh come onnn… if a TV presenter told me I learnt the masters of ‘fingering’ even I would have burst out laughing on that sofa.”
“Wasn’t expecting that,” a third remarked.
The brief comic moment came during a wider conversation about Grace’s musical ability and the serious illness she experienced as a child.
Tom Swarbrick praises Grace Matthews’ attitude
Tom focused on the determination Grace had shown while adjusting to the changes caused by her illness.
“That mindset of being able to do that is so critical in so many ways in life generally, but particularly when you’re recovering from a very, very serious illness,” he told her.
He added: “Your life has changed quite a lot as a result of that illness. To be able to think your way to overcome that is extraordinary.”
Grace contracted severe meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia when she was four years old. As a result of the illness, all her fingers and both lower legs were amputated.
She told Kate and Tom that she could recall little about being unwell, although music featured in one memory from that period.
“I don’t actually remember much from being ill,” Grace explained. “I remember Dawn, my music therapist, she would come in and play the accordion to me, and I would sit there with the tambourines.”
Grace later began learning to play when a relative gave her a keyboard following her illness. She went on to develop a technique that enabled her to perform without fingers, eventually showcasing her talent to viewers on The Piano.
Good Morning Britain airs on weekday mornings on ITV.
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