JEREMY Kyle has called Nicola Sturgeon “that horrible woman up north” while discussing the Tories' handling of the cost-of-living crisis on TalkTV.

The former host of the Jeremy Kyle show, who has long been accused of exploiting vulnerable people for entertainment, made the comment while raising the possibility Sturgeon could “get into power” if the Tories take the electorate for granted.

The insult was part of a string of comments that were dismissive of Scotland’s right to self-determination.

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He said: “I think this cost of living crisis, and this taking the electorate for granted is going to cast the Tories into the wilderness for years and my theory is that horrible woman up north is going to start – what’s her name? – Nicola Sturgeon, she’ll be in power in a minute.

"What’s going to happen then?”

When challenged by contributor Marina Purkiss on why Scots would want to separate from the UK and Tory rule, Kyle continued in his withering tone.

He added: “I’m quite happy if they want to break away, but don’t start me on her because she annoys me …

“What she got to do with anything? She doesn’t want to be part of this country and spends her entire time criticising it.”

Kyle then carried on dismissing the case for indyref2 after Purkiss argued that broken Tory promises and the UK’s withdrawal from the EU constituted a material change in circumstances and validated calls for a second referendum.

The host replied that the Yes campaign had lost the 2014 referendum and that they were to “shut up and deal with it”.

Purkiss later took to Twitter to point out the irony of Tories refusing the case for indyref2 despite their own obsession with leaving the European Union.

She wrote: “I seem to be spending more and more time defending the right for Scots to have a 2nd ref on leaving the union …with Tory Brexit supporters who were hellbent on …leaving a union!”

Commenting on Kyle's remarks, president of the SNP, Mike Russell, said: "I doubt many, or indeed any, people will take instruction on what to think or how to behave from the discredited Mr Kyle. His opinions on Scotland - like virtually all his views - are ignorant, ill-informed and irrelevant."