Noel Edmonds has addressed the online backlash that followed a video of him buying live lobsters from a supermarket-style tank and putting them back into the sea.
The 77-year-old former Deal Or No Deal presenter and his wife, Liz, were recorded releasing the crustaceans at Peel Harbour on the Isle of Man after purchasing them from a tank at a local farm shop.
While the gesture appeared to be intended as an act of kindness, it quickly drew criticism from followers. Some pointed out that lobsters kept in tanks can be stressed and may struggle to survive if suddenly returned to the wild, while others warned that releasing them could risk spreading unfamiliar diseases into local waters.
Following the reaction, Edmonds returned to Instagram with a subdued post, telling fans he was simply “off to bed.”
Wearing a red boiler suit and a hard hat, Noel said in the clip: “Oh there you are, right… guess what I am about to do… oh yeah! I’m going to bed.”
The controversy began on Tuesday, when Edmonds posted footage showing him and Liz placing the lobsters they had bought back into the harbour water.
Noel Edmonds has spoken out after facing criticism over a video showing him buying live lobsters and releasing them into the sea
Explaining the decision, Edmonds said he and his wife had felt “uncomfortable” after seeing the lobsters held in the tank, prompting them to buy the animals and attempt to give them their freedom.
Releasing a supermarket or restaurant lobster is generally discouraged due to low survival rates.
Handled and stressed lobsters are rarely equipped to survive in the wild, and releasing them can introduce foreign diseases or disrupt local marine ecosystems
Noel said in an Instagram video which now has its comments disabled: ‘All right, this is one of those more bizarre things that happens with us.
‘We were at a place where there were some lobsters in a tank, and we’re a little bit uncomfortable about the lobsters and tanks.
‘So we bought the lobsters, and now Liz is going to release them. So here we go. Nice clear water in Peel Harbour.
‘There they go! And we know this is nice fresh water because a moment ago a seal went past. Wonderful place.’
He then asked Liz: ‘Are you happy?’ to which she replied: ‘Yes I am!’
The former Deal Or No Deal hostand his wife Liz were filmed returning the crustaceans to the water at Peel Harbour on the Isle of Man after purchasing them from a tank at a local farm shop
The presenter took to Instagram to share a defeated post following the criticism, where he told his followers he was ‘off to bed’
Noel, who divides his time between his home in New Zealand and the Isle of Man, penned in the caption of his post: ‘We love and respect all creatures great and small.’
In response, Matt Harrison, owner of the farm shop said he’d be moving its lobster tank to a less prominent position and was considering removing it completely.
He said: ‘At the moment the tank is still in the shop but we’ve moved it.
‘I’m sensitive to people’s feelings.
‘But the vast majority of people want us to keep it and for us to keep supporting local businesses, which is the whole point of the shop.
‘I’m still mulling over whether to keep it. There are still lobsters in there; they’re really healthy. We’re just going to see what happens.
‘But customers will be able to buy it in plenty of other places along the Peel seafront.’
He said the lobsters were caught near Peel by a local, young shellfish fisherman, who he had wanted to support.
Harrison said the tank was charcoal-filtered, maintained weekly and kept at salinity levels matching the surrounding sea.
And the water was maintained at between 7.1C and 7.4C.
He said the lobsters were delivered approximately every one to two weeks and are rotated through the tank, meaning they were not normally kept there for more than a fortnight.
Some were not happy with Noel’s actions.
One said: ‘Lovely sentiment, but from a marine biologist perspective it’s best not to release captive lobsters.
‘Disease transfer and genetic mixing are real concerns to native populations – also restaurants will order more lobsters and sell them knowing people will release them – you’re liable to big fines for doing this.’
Another said: ‘They didn’t have a chance the moment he removed them from tank.’
While a third said: ‘They’ve basically killed them. Look it up. You can’t release tanked lobsters into the sea for various reasons.’
Noel has now disabled the comments on his post.
