Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid erupted into giggles on Tuesday during an innuendo-filled interview with The Wanted star Max George about his pacemaker.
The 38-year-old pop star had the battery-powered electronic device fitted back in December 2024 following a diagnosis of a 2:1 heart block. The medical implant is placed under the skin to help regulate slow or abnormal heart rhythms by sending electrical pulses to the cardiac muscle.
The flirty exchange began on the ITV breakfast programme when Reid, 55, asked George about his ongoing recovery from the scary heart issue and subsequent surgery.
"Max, how are you feeling? Because you've had this heart issue which is really scary and surgery of course. So, what's going on with you at the moment?" Reid asked during the live broadcast.
George reassured the presenter that he was recovering well, while revealing that he had undergone more than one operation to secure the device.
"I'm all good. So I had a pacemaker put in and then taken out again and then put back in again," George explained.
Complications with the heart device
When Reid inquired why the device had to be removed after the initial procedure, George revealed that doctors encountered a technical problem with the setup.
"There was an issue with it," George said. "There was an implantation issue with one of the leads. So they yanked that one out and put a new one in."
The conversation took a playful turn when Reid asked about the exact physical dimensions of the pacemaker, prompting George to offer her a direct demonstration.
"Do you want to touch it?" George asked, which caused his The Wanted 2.0 bandmate Siva Kaneswaran, 37, to burst out laughing in the studio.
Reid reached over to feel the implant under his skin and made an observation about its appearance. "OK, so there is a slight bulge in there," she noted.
George immediately responded with a suggestive joke: "That's not what they normally say. They normally say it's a big bulge, but it keeps me going."
Medical context and studio reactions
Flustered by the double entendre, a laughing Reid attempted to steer the segment back to medical facts. "Shall we move on? It's about the pacemaker. It's the size of a matchbox isn't it?" she asked.
A 2:1 heart block is a type of heart block condition in which electrical signals between the upper chambers and lower chambers of the heart are impaired. Only every second atrial impulse reaches the ventricles, causing a slow heart rate that can lead to fatigue or dizziness. Pacemakers are routinely fitted beneath the collarbone to restore a normal heart rhythm.
As the interview progressed, Kaneswaran offered support for his colleague. "As you can see, he's doing really well," Kaneswaran told the host.
"I'm doing well," George chimed in. "The blood is flowing."
Stifling her giggles, Reid responded: "Well that's always good to hear."
Personal life and musical careers
The flirty discussion concluded with both George and Reid expressing enthusiasm for his future health and music projects. George said: "I'm just excited again," prompting Reid to reply: "I'm excited. We're all excited."
George has been in a high-profile relationship with former EastEnders actress Maisie Smith, 25, since 2022. Smith is best known for portraying Tiffany Butcher on the BBC soap opera, a role she played for over a decade, as well as competing on Strictly Come Dancing.
George first rose to prominence in 2009 as a member of the British-Irish boyband The Wanted, alongside Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Nathan Sykes, and the late Tom Parker. The group achieved global success with chart-topping singles such as All Time Low and Glad You Came before taking a hiatus in 2014. George and Kaneswaran currently tour together under the banner of The Wanted 2.0.
Good Morning Britain is ITV's main national breakfast news programme, broadcasting live every weekday morning from London. Reid has co-anchored the flagship show since its launch in 2014.
