Good Morning Britain's Richard Madeley discusses champagne shoplifting arrest and says 'very easy'

Richard Madeley has candidly reflected on his 1990s shoplifting arrest, suggesting that it's "easy to forget to pay for things". The 63 year old presenter was on Good Morning Britain with co-host Kate Garraway when they delved into the debate over whether security guards in shops should have more authority to stop shoplifters.

As they discussed the contentious proposal of having in-store cells for suspected thieves, Kate highlighted the "scourge of shoplifting" causing widespread issues. Richard then shared his personal brush with the law, recalling his arrest and trial for an alleged shoplifting incident in 1994.

He had been accused of not paying for items, including champagne, at a Tesco in Manchester, but a jury acquitted him after he claimed memory loss and simply forgetting to pay. "I know from my own experience that it's very easy to forget to pay for stuff," the star said.

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"And woah, just a minute a store detective, would you really accept a store detective putting you in cuffs? I mean you would say 'Woah hold on! I've just made an honest mistake, let me explain.' There's a lot to go out there."

Last year, he delved into the profound effects that his arrest and trial had on his career, expressing gratitude for the unwavering support from his wife Judy Finnegan and his then-employers. He told The Sun about the fortunate absence of Twitter during the ordeal: "Thank God Twitter wasn't around then. But the whole thing was so self-evidently b****cks, that my not paying was an oversight".

Reflecting on the potential for career fallout, he said he never felt at risk of being "cancelled", crediting Granada Television for their continued support and asserting that the case was baseless. Richard remembered the strategy for clearing his name: "We carried on as normal. I went to Crown Court, my lawyer told me to get in front of a jury so people could see it was an obvious oversight. So that's what I did. And I was absolutely acquitted."