Katie slammed ‘lower class’ children with names like Chardonnay and Tyler
Viewers watched Holly become increasingly angry with Katie’s mockery

Caitlin Moran tweeted ‘Torn between wanting to continue ignoring Katie Hopkins, and finding out where she lives and running her over with a tank’
Video of sensational row gets 3 million YouTube hits in two days 

She is known for her unflappable and mild-mannered on-screen persona.

Until, that is, presenter Holly Willoughby came face-to-face with former Apprentice star Katie Hopkins.

The two blondes became embroiled in a heated debate after Hopkins, 38, claimed it was acceptable to judge children based on their names.

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Hopkins criticised names like Tyler, Charmaine and Chardonnay, Holly replied: ‘That’s terrible, listen to what you’re saying’

Katie: There’s a whole set of things that go with those sorts of children and that’s why I don’t like them

Asked about popular baby names on ITV’s This Morning show on Wednesday, Miss Hopkins began to criticise ‘lower class’ children with names like Chantelle, Charmaine, Chardonnay and Tyler.

‘I think you can tell a great deal from a name,’ said mother-of-three Miss Hopkins, 38. ‘For me, there’s certain names that I hear and I think “urgh”. 

‘For me, a name is a shortcut of finding out what class a child comes from and makes me ask: “Do I want my children to play with them?”

‘When I hear screeched across the playground: “Tyler! Come back ‘ere.” It’s the Tylers, the Charmains the Chantelles, the Chardonnays.’

Cult feminist and funnywoman Caitlin Moran slammed Katie’s judgemental views

Marie Claire and Michael Vine were unimpressed – as were the vast majority of Twitter users on the subject

She added: ‘There’s a whole set of things that go with children like that, who are quite a disruptive influence in school and that’s why I don’t like those kind of children.

‘I tend to think that children who have intelligent names tend to have fairly intelligent parents and they make much better playdates for my children.

‘We are really time short in this world and we need shortcuts to make decisions. It’s very effective.’

Miss Willoughby, 32, was flabbergasted, responding: ‘Listen to what you are saying. You judge children on names. That’s extraordinary.’

Co-host Phillip Schofield was then forced to intervene, asking the women to speak one at a time as the argument threatened to boil over.

‘I can’t believe that you’re such an insufferable snob’ said Anna May Mangan, who was judged as a child

Phillip Schofield threw his head back in bewilderment as Holly said ‘Oh stop, stop right there’

The audience seemed to agree with Anna May (and Holly) saying people shouldn’t be judged by their name

But the exchange of words only ended after an increasingly irate Miss Willoughby snapped: ‘Oh stop. Stop right there.’

Viewers took to Twitter in the aftermath of the interview to criticise Miss Hopkins, with one writing: ‘I wouldn’t want my children associating with a woman like her. Call me stuck up!’

Another added: ‘Katie Hopkins is an appalling woman, how can she be so judgmental?’

And the nine-minute debate has now become an internet sensation, with 3.5million people viewing the clip on YouTube in only two days.