This Morning host Phillip Schofield has slammed viewers who complained about the show’s “bondage for beginners” segment.
Schofield’s fury comes after communications watchdog Ofcom launched an investigation into the matter after receiving 120 complaints.
The report was inspired by the Fifty Shades Of Grey movie and featured an interview with a "sex expert" about a range of sex toys including an eye mask, a leash and collar and a bodywand.
'Any minor outrage': Phillip Schofield
Ofcom has "opened an investigation into whether an item about 'bondage for beginners' was suitable for broadcast before the watershed".
Schofield, who presented the item with Christine Bleakley, told the Press Association that people complained to Ofcom over "any minor outrage" and that "behind those closed, outraged doors of middle England" the raunchy items that they featured were snapped up online.
"I think for me, and it's my own personal belief, but in the old days, people would pick up the phone and complain or they'd write a letter.
"But now they go to Ofcom and they must be sick to death of all of this.
"Any minor outrage that anyone's got, they go to Ofcom. They must be inundated with minor complaints."
He added: "As far as I'm concerned, This Morning has always pushed the boundaries.
"Richard and Judy did it when they launched Viagra for the first time, the first time we did a testicular examination, the first time we did an examination to hopefully safeguard yourself against breast cancer, people were outraged, up in arms. This was shocking, shocking television.
"Since the first day This Morning did that, we've saved countless lives."
Schofield, who presents new ITV show You're Back In The Room, added: "Obviously I'm not saying the bondage is going to save anyone's life but what we did was reflect on what everyone else was doing or talking about at the time.
"Everyone went to see the movie and if you look at the stuff we had on there, it was very innocent stuff and also spectacularly when the item had finished the things we had were all sold out in moments.
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"So behind those closed, outraged doors of middle England, what they were secretly doing was going to buy this stuff online."
An ITV spokesman defended the broadcast saying it was a “lifestyle programme” that covered a “diverse range of human interest topics.”
He added: "The programme has dealt with advice on sexual matters many times in the past, and a suitable announcement was given at the start. Many of our items spark debate and we welcome feedback from our viewers about our content."
The show has also run slots on a couple who spent over £20,000 on sex dolls, a man who claims to have sex with cars and a woman who says she has had intercourse with a ghost.
Bondage For Beginners
