This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby apologised to the programme’s viewers after reality TV star Joey Essex swore live on air during the broadcast.

Holly said that Essex, who was off-screen at the time, had not realised his microphone was still on when he was heard saying the words “fucking shithole” over another segment of the daily ITV programme.

Joey was backstage and had just appeared on a link with hosts Holly and Phillip Schofield to discuss his E4 dating show Celebs Go Dating.

Joey Essex
Joey Essex (John Stillwell/PA)

As the cameras cut back to the studio, where Holly and Phillip were speaking to the show’s resident chef Gino D’Acampo, Joey’s off-screen conversation was still audible and he was heard uttering the expletives.

Following an ad break, Holly said: “If any of you might have heard something that Joey Essex said that you found offensive, we do apologise for what he said.

“He did not realise his mic was up, so we’re sorry about that.”

Referencing the former The Only Way Is Essex star’s famously naive persona, Phillip joked: “I didn’t know he knew words that big actually.”

Viewers were largely amused by Joey’s accidental swearing, with one writing on Twitter, along with a collection of laughing emojis: “Rarely watch #thismorning but caught a classic of Joey Essex heard saying ‘fucking shithole’ from his dressing room. Oops!!”

Another wrote: “Hearing @JoeyEssex_ accidentally swearing on @thismorning has just made my day!! It’s the simple things!!”

One viewer was sceptical about the whole thing, writing: “Clever PR Joey Essex swearing live on This Morning to get himself trending/publicity? Don’t quite believe he’s as daft as he pretends to be.”