Viewers were taken aback during Wednesday’s airing of ‘This Morning’ when a guest who claims to have the “world’s smallest penis” appeared on the show.

Michael Phillips, aged 38, stated his genitalia measure a mere 0.38 inches, a stark contrast to the average size of 5.5 inches. Hailing from North Carolina, Michael recently sought medical advice after enduring years of challenges due to his micropenis. He opened up to hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard about how this condition has profoundly influenced his life.

“In high school, when I started dealing with girlfriends, I assumed I was just a late bloomer and that one day, everything would be normal,” he told ITV. “But that day never came.”

When Ben inquired if he had ever broached the topic with his family, Michael, who also shared that he was adopted, admitted that he found it impossible to discuss the issue with them.

“I kept it to myself,” he said. “Throughout my teens and twenties, I remained single despite having friends. They questioned why I wasn’t dating, but I just didn’t want to confront it.”

While he managed to avoid the issue during his teenage years by not addressing it, Michael disclosed that the condition has significantly impacted his adult relationships and has led to unexpected daily challenges. “I kept it hidden, so I wasn’t targeted because no one knew,” he explained.

“I can’t go out and have a one night stand but it also affects my ability to use a restroom, my confidence. Even sitting down can be tricky with the clean up and everything. I’ve tried everything possible. You can be upfront, you can try to talk to somebody, sometimes you don’t say nothing at all.”

This Morning viewers quickly took to social media with their reactions to the segment.

“Suppose it’s easy to slag the bloke with the smallest penis. Must be horrible for him,” one user commented.

Another questioned, “Slow news day? #thismorning meet the man with the worlds smallest penis.”

A third pondered, “Why would you go on #thismorning and tell everyone you have a micropenis?” while another echoed, “Why would you make that public?”

A fourth remarked, “When Ben asked the man with the micro penis how it affects his day to day life, he replied that he can’t go on one night stands ! Is that day to day life ? I must have had a very boring life if it is.”

Some viewers criticised ITV’s editorial choices, with one asking, “Why do you guys persist in exploiting people like this?” and another querying, “Are they struggling for stories today?”

Despite the difficulties he encounters, Michael discovered inspiration to speak publicly through an unexpected moment that hit closer to home than he had imagined. “It wasn’t until joking about being a Guinness world record holder that I realised I might actually have the world’s smallest. If I could go for it, I would – I think it could help bring more awareness,” he told IGV.

However, beyond the lighthearted approach, he has utilised Instagram as a forum to address the matter more openly.

The response, he disclosed, has been remarkably encouraging. He’s formed connections with “really good people that just care about you and what you post,” which has assisted him in overcoming years of diminished self-esteem.

He also condemned society’s obsession with size, contending that men encounter unrealistic standards with practically no visibility for those who don’t conform to conventional expectations.

“There really isn’t very much representation for small sizes in media and almost zero mention of micro penis being portrayed as being a real medical condition and not a slang joke term,” he said.