Ed Balls has sparked a backlash after swiping a snooker cue from a nine-year-old boy while interviewing him on Good Morning Britain.
Tommy Tornado – real name Tommy Fallon – was on the ITV show on Tuesday morning to show off his skills.
The school boy has just returned from the Junior World Snooker Championships in Bulgaria, where he competed against 18-year-olds.
He has even challenged snooker ace, Ronnie O’Sullivan, to a game.
But viewers found themselves getting increasingly frustrated with Ed’s enthusiasm as he got involved.
Tommy was repeatedly distracted by Ed as he darted around the table, attempting to put him off his game.
The youngster, who has ADHD and autism, even forgot his words after Ed pinched his cue right out of his hands.
And fans were not impressed.
GMB’s Ed Balls in snooker backlash
Ed was co-presenting the segment alongside Susanna Reid.
But as Susanna tried her best to interview Tommy’s dad James, all the focus was on Ed.
GMB bosses had set up a snooker table in the studio in order for Tommy to show off a drill.
Tommy wanted to work his way around, potting red balls followed by coloured ones.
But Ed said: “We were playing in the break, Tommy. Who’s better, you or me?”
Susanna suggested Tommy “takes Ed Balls on” as she chatted to James.
Tommy potted a red and then stretched across the table to aim for a yellow. Ed sprung down beside him and told him to “jump on my knee”.
The young player shook his head and refused, before potting the yellow himself.
Susanna remarked: “I love the way Ed’s trying to help Tommy but he doesn’t need help.”
Justifying himself, Ed replied: “I know but it’s quite a big table.” Tommy’s dad pointed out they were using a ‘baby’ table.
“Oh I see, does he play with a full table? Oh my goodness,” Ed said.
Then, as Tommy went to take another shot, Ed crouched down right next to him, laughing: “I’m not trying to put you off. I’m not trying to put you off!”
Tommy potted several more balls before telling Ed: “Your go. Reset the balls.”
Ed raced around the table and tried to snatch Tommy’s cue out of his hand. Tommy shouted: “No, that’s mine, mine!”
Looking awkward, the youngster then reluctantly handed it over.
‘They don’t like people borrowing cues’
Ed proceeded to dart around the table, smashing as many balls as he could into the pockets.
Susanna, meanwhile, was trying to ask Tommy about a silver shield he had won at the competition in Bulgaria.
But he became distracted and had to be asked the question twice. Then, just as he was about to reply, Ed shouted, “What do you think, Tommy?” before taking another shot.
Tommy raised his hand in the air and muttered: “I forgot.”
James also tried to tell Susanna about a letter Tommy had received from school following his success abroad.
When Tommy finally got his cue back, he furiously began rubbing the end with chalk.
James muttered: “They don’t like doing that. They don’t like people borrowing their cues. That’s why he was holding on to it.”
Ed didn’t get the message and continued trying to put Tommy off until the end of the very awkward segment.
Fans slam Ed Balls over snooker interview
Good Morning Britain fans have now reacted in fury to the chaotic scenes and blasted Ed for his behaviour.
Writing on X, one fumed: “The way @edballs is behaving with the snooker kid. Embarrassing. #GMB.”
Another pleaded: “Stop trying to take the shine, Ed!”
A third wrote: “I bet Ed just whispered in the kid’s ear… ‘I can beat ya at snooker ‘.”
And a fourth remarked: “Ed trying to win at all costs.”
One person even said: “This segment’s a [bleep-ing] car crash.”
We can’t imagine Tommy will look back fondly on this one…!
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