Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield call for airline nut ban

This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield joined the call to arms for airlines to stop serving nuts on planes.

Speaking two weeks after former This Morning producer Amy May Shead appeared on the show to highlight the devastating aftermath of eating just one mouthful of food containing nuts, Phillip said: “It’s about time we do something more about it.

“Obviously, with Amy May’s story we are fully aware that it happened on holiday and that’s how severe it can be [even] when you get treatment. When you are at 30,000ft obviously the chances are the outcome will be even more severe.”

More than 300,000 people have now signed Amy May’s petition to ban nuts on planes and over five million have watched footage of her appearing on the show. Amy May had a severe allergic reaction and was left with brain injuries.

This Morning wants the airline industry to stop serving nuts on all flights and, secondly, for an announcement to be made at the beginning of the flight, as part of the general safety guidance, asking people to refrain from eating nut products on board.

Jo Swinson MP, who has had a nut allergy since she was a child, was in the studio to echo the calls. She said: “It’s a terrifying experience to go through. On a flight you do feel particularly vulnerable. It is time to ask the question, is it so important nuts are served or could another snack be served instead?”

Phillip agreed it would be almost impossible to eradicate all traces of nuts from airline food, which is produced in bulk. The programme asked representatives of 13 airlines to appear on the show to put the case forward on behalf of the aviation industry. But all declined to join the conversation.

Former Watchdog presenter and consumer expert Alice Beer agreed, adding the show is calling for an easier step to be taken, in a bid to save lives.

“Let’s stop serving the nuts. Let’s do the obvious things first and let’s make an announcement on the plane. We need to make baby steps first and to have a change of the public mindset. Is anyone going to complain if they don’t get a small packet of nuts? Just don’t do that bit!”

Amy May Shead was left, as BBC News reported last month, ‘with brain damage following a severe allergic reaction to a meal containing nuts, despite warning the restaurant of her allergy.’