On Wednesday’s instalment of Good Morning Britain, Richard Madeley dropped a bombshell about his own career while the show was discussing the controversy surrounding Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

The programme focused on allegations that the MP had “fabricated his CV and calling himself a solicitor” when in fact he was still a trainee solicitor.

Fellow presenter Charlotte Hawkins pointed out there had been cases where the term ‘trainee’ had been dropped.

A flashback to 2014 revealed the MP had claimed: “Before the last election, I’ve worked as a solicitor in Manchester City Centre. I would travel into Manchester for what is now my constituency.”

Richard interjected with the clarification that he wasn’t actually qualified at that time, stating: “Well, he didn’t you see, he wasn’t qualified, he was a trainee.”

Ex-Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth weighed in, acknowledging the MP had worked in a legal environment but was only a trainee.

He began: “He was doing law-related work-” before Charlotte cut him off, insisting on the significance of being a qualified solicitor, reports the Manchester Evening News.

In an unexpected moment of solidarity, Richard offered a personal insight: “I’m sorry, I feel a degree of sympathy for him, which I didn’t particularly feel for the chancellor and her enhanced CV.

“I look back at my training days, I was a trainee journalist for three years, on an official training course. At the end of it, after three years, you took an exam and you passed then you were a qualified journalist.

“I never took that exam. I was too busy with a news story on the day that I was meant to sit it. I call myself a journalist but I’m not a qualified journalist, but effectively, I am.”

However, Charlotte went on to highlight the difference between certain professions, noting that Richard could practice journalism without specific qualifications, unlike solicitor roles.

Doubting whether the incident was a mere error, Richard proposed: “Don’t you think it was a slip of the tongue?”

To which Charlotte firmly responded: “No, I just think you can’t call yourself a solicitor if you’re not.”

Good Morning Britain continues weekdays on ITV from 6am.

Get all the Strictly glitter and goss straight to your inbox with our Strictly Come Dancing newsletter