GMTV dupes viewers in rat infested bins stunt

With the fortnightly rubbish collection issue hitting the headlines, the breakfast TV programme featured a rat infested bin outside the studio, but failed to mention that the rodents had been deliberately placed for dramatic effect.

Standing outside the GMTV studio just after 8am, presenter Ben Shepherd, stood in front of an over-flowing rubbish bin crawling with rats as he spoke about the issue, leading viewers to believe the vermin are a naturally occurring sight at the London studio.

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Rat infested: The rodents were deliberately placed to highlight the GMTV story

Earlier in the programme when introducing what was coming up on the show, fellow presenter Kate Garraway addressed the feature as she stood in the same spot in front of the bin littered with rats, quickly adding at the end that: "These rats have been placed here, I must just add."

I smell a rat: At 8.13am Ben Shepherd failed to mention the rats had been placed on the bin leading viewers to think the bins outside the GMTV studio could be crawling with rats

Any viewers who missed Kate Garraway's admission were led to believe the bins really where rat infested when Ben Shepherd shared the camera with the furry creatures.

Earlier: Kate Garraway points out that the rodents had been planted

The stunt follows the recent phone-in scandal involving GMTV that saw up to £40 million being fraudulently charged to viewers.