Katie Hopkins And Robbie Savage Clash Over Dementia 'Bed-Blocker' Comments

Robbie Savage And Katie Hopkins 'Discussing' Euthanasia Makes For Explosive Listening
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Katie Hopkins' and Robbie Savage's diametrically opposing views on euthanasia made for explosive listening as the two clashed during a heated radio debate Tuesday evening.

The head-to-head arose after the outspoken columnist called dementia sufferers NHS "bed-blockers" in a tweet that caused a storm of controversy.

She said: “Dementia sufferers should not be blocking beds. What is the point of life when you no longer know you are living it? Bang me over the head.”

Savage - former footballer and ambassador for the Alzheimer's Society - confronted Hopkins on BBC Radio 5 Live.

He said: "My mother's in tears tonight because I lost my hero, my father to a disease that people know nothing about. And going on Twitter to vent such stupid naive comments beggars belief.

"I'm mortified."

Hopkins responded: "I can understand that sometimes people don't agree with my point of view, Robbie, but I do see the frustration in life and I do hear nurses saying they do have bed-blockers.

"Bed-blockers is a term that is used in the system for people that are dumped there - not like your father - but actually don't have any other place to go."

Hopkins, who is epileptic, revealed she had signed an advance directive permitting euthanasia should she fall critically ill.

She added: "Do I want my children to watch me go through that? Absolutely not."

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The former-Wales international revealed he would not have let his father choose euthanasia.

Savage then went on to detail an occasion three and a half years after diagnosis when his Father smiled at him after a footballer came on the telly.

He added: "He looked through me but I knew, I knew he knew I was in that room. If I had have [allowed him to choose euthanasia] how could I have ever lived with myself."

When Savage asked if Hopkins felt the 17 weeks his father spent in hospital was bed blocking, she replied: "For me, yes."

She added: "For me it's about the point in this country where we keep people alive because were obliged to. Is there any point in keeping someone alive to the point where they weigh six-and-a-half stone?"

"If I don't know who my children are, if I don't know my own name, can't go to the bathroom, if I can't look after myself I don't want to be kept alive."

I'm privileged and proud to know that my advance directive is signed and that when the time comes I will take myself off, I will pop off and I will not be a burden to my children.

"We're different people Robbie. We have to accept that."

People came out in support of both sides of the argument...