Zack Polanski loses it at Ed Balls as ‘car crash’ GMB interview turns tense

Good Morning Britain descended into chaos minutes into a heated interview with Green Party leader Zack Polanski ahead of the local elections next week. On Monday morning (April 27), Ed Balls and Susanna Reid returned to the helm as they discussed the biggest stories hitting the headlines. It didn’t take long for things to turn political as they discussed the biggest stories hitting the headlines.

Ed began the live debate by quizzing the Green Party leader about the changes to his party policies. But things quickly heated up between the two, with the politician shutting down the broadcaster’s questions by calling out his former political alignment.

He fumed: “Do you know what? I’m enjoying the fact that a Labour politician who’s married to a senior Labour minister is allowed to ask questions to the leader of the Green Party. This is not our manifesto, and what you’re doing is [unacceptable].”

The broadcaster snapped: “Are you accusing me of being a Labour politician?” to which Polanski argued: “Well, it’s not even an accusation. We are planning to replace the Labour party and take the fight to Reform, but what you’re asking me right now has nothing to do with the local elections.”

Ed insisted: “You said I was a Labour politician, did you mean that or not?” which forced the politician to backpeddle, explaining: “Well, you might have been a Labour minister.” The TV presenter clarified: “Unfortunately, Mr Polanski, I lost my seat in 2015 and I’ve not been a Labour politician for 10 years.

“Whereas you, a Green politician and party leader, seem to be using a rather elaborate device of making accusations against me to avoid answering the questions.” In an attempt to calm down the rising temperatures in the studio, Ed passed over the questions to his co-host, Susanna, who quizzed him about his bizarre claim that hypnosis could increase a woman’s breast size.

Before entering politics, the Green Party leader worked as a hypnotherapist and offered a session in 2013 to enlarge a newspaper reporter’s bust. Polanski has since said he was misrepresented and never believed it was possible, claiming he spoke to the BBC the day after the article to apologise.

However, BBC News cannot find evidence of such an interview, but six days later, he appeared on Radio Humberside to stand by the theory, saying “the evidence is growing”. When Susanna asked him about the claim, he fumed: “I’m sure the audience will be delighted that you’re asking me a question about something that happened 13 years ago, including an interview a week after a Sun article, when I’ve apologised many, many times since.

“Your audience will notice that I’m talking about taxing multimillionaires and billionaires, taking wealth away from powerful people and putting it back in our communities and GMB, 10 days before the local elections, rather than asking me about our policies are asking about this.”

Ed interjected with: “I asked you about our borders, I asked you about fuel prices, I asked you about immigration, I talked to you about drug policy. You accused me of being a Labour cabinet minister 16 years ago, and then, when something you said 10 years ago comes up, you say it’s illegitimate to ask about things you stood for 10 years ago. I mean, the double standard is a bit shocking.”

Polanski took another brutal swipe at the broadcaster, fuming: “Two of those things are not the same. Someone pretending to be a journalist, interrogating a political party whilst having a very strong association with the Labour government, currently in power, is very different.

“Asking me about a story when I wasn’t a politician from 13 years ago that I’ve apologised for repeatedly, I’m not sure what value your audience is getting from this conversation.” It didn’t take long before viewers flocked to X – formerly known as Twitter – to share their thoughts on the heated debate online.

One user penned: “Ed and Zack… what a car crash interview.” Some viewers sided with Ed’s strong approach, with one user praising: “Zack Polanski is being destroyed by Ed Balls on GMB, what a pathetic man, he is clearly mad and should be seeking help.” Another agreed: “Zack Polanski absolutely destroyed on GMB this morning [TV emoji] so funny to watch, he was so uncomfortable.”

Meanwhile, others agreed with Polanski’s argument on Ball’s involvement in political interviews, with one user suggesting: “I mean Zack does have a point, Ed, You were a Labour MP in the past.” Another agreed: “I’m not a Green voter, but the way Ed has gone straight into attack is wrong. He never does this to Labour MPs.”