British TV host branded 'disrespectful' after offering doughnuts to those in the Queen's mourners queue

A British TV host has been branded "disrespectful" by viewers after making light-hearted jokes and handing out doughnuts in the Queen's mourners queue.

This Morning presenter Alice Beer, 57, had been given the task of chatting to the thousands waiting in line to see the monarch Lying in State in London on Wednesday.

But while it's clear she meant well, many were left unimpressed as she dished out tasty snacks and even compared the queue to one at a music festival.

READ MORE: The Princess of Wales's emotional moment at Sandringham

Beer had been walking Albert Embankment with a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts in an attempt to keep mourners' spirits high.

"Can I bring you a little joy?" she said, opening the box.

"I've got not just ordinary doughnuts, they look like their Biscoff doughnuts!"

"We can pay our respects and eat doughnuts at the same time... I've become the most popular person in the queue, I suspect!" she laughed.

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She also spoke to a 14-year-old gentleman who was queuing with his mother.

"Are you tired?" she asked him, adding: "Mind you, it's a bit like Reading Festival, you'll be doing that next, it's just a dress rehearsal isn't it?"

While the crowd appeared pleased with Beer's clearly light-hearted antics, some royal fans took to Twitter to claim the move was simply "disrespectful".

"#ThisMorning that woman interviewing people in the queue to see the queens coffin needs sacking!!! How disrespectful!! Its not a festival queue!!!" one wrote.

Another responded: "Couldn't agree more, disgraceful. Will never watch this woman again, never been so angry."

READ MORE: Prince William comforts Kate as they view touching tributes for the Queen in Sandringham

"Alice Beer have a bit of respect ! Guffawing and whooping talking to the people queuing to pay respects to the late queen!" a third chimed in.

"Interviewing people like they're queuing for a concert and treating it like a party? And then the reporter saying to one guy, 'This is just a dress rehearsal for Reading Festival next year'… seriously?! Disrespectful is an understatement," a fourth said.

But others were quick to defend the host, with one adding: "@_alicebeer in society today it's ok to be yourself as long everyone else does what you want and do, Alice please you be you, good on ya."

"I think @_alicebeer did a great job when interviewing the people queueing for the casket, there's nothing wrong with lifting the mood a little and making jokes – it's basically British custom to get drunk at funeral wakes so I don't really see the issue," another said.

On Thursday, Beer covered a segment live from Westminster Hall after being given press access to see the coffin, leaving newsreader Isla Traquair to greet the queue instead.

Beer is best known for presenting consumer investigative programme Watchdog on BBC One between 1993 and 1999 and has been This Morning's consumer expert since 2014.