Particle.news
Download on the App Store

WWII Veteran, 100, Tells GMB the Sacrifice "Wasn't Worth It" as Viewers React

His remarks, aired days before Remembrance Sunday, have been widely shared and linked to concerns about rising national division.

Overview

  • Alec Penstone told ITV's Good Morning Britain he can picture the rows of fallen comrades' graves and said the country today does not reflect what they died for.
  • He added that what he and others fought for was freedom, saying life now is worse than when he fought for it.
  • Kate Garraway thanked and reassured him on air, telling him later generations are grateful and that it is their job to build the country he fought for.
  • Co-presenter Adil Ray asked Penstone to clarify his comments, prompting an online outcry from some viewers alongside widespread messages of support for the veteran.
  • Coverage highlighted Penstone’s lifelong service, including Blitz volunteering and Royal Navy duty linked to D‑Day, and referenced polling from King’s College London indicating rising perceptions of national division.