Viewers tuning in to watch This Morning may have been left puzzled after noticing their screens had turned black and white on Monday (12 October).
In a show first, the colour was drained from screens for a short period as Dermot and Cat hosted the mid-morning show.
But it was not a technical glitch, and rather due to an interview with a guest called Anto Shutigin, who has gone viral on social media several times due to his chromophobia.
Chromophobia is a rare condition which means he has a phobia of colours.
Fears can also target a single colour, such as erythrophobia, which is the fear of red, or cyanophobia, the fear of blue.
Anto, who joined the show on video link from New York only wears or surrounds himself with monochrome items, and has previously shared videos showing his black and white bedroom and monochrome Christmas decorations.
The 24-year-old’s extreme phobia has forced him to live his life entirely in black and white. He explained how it started out as a child, and how his parents now even only wear black and white around him.
“Black and white definitely has a level of sameness and consistency that can be less overwhelming” he said. “Rather than a room with a bunch of colours.”
He said he believed living in New York City was one of the ‘driving factors’ behind his phobia, adding: “It’s so overstimulating colourful and loud.
“I love coming home to an environment that doesn’t have any of that where I can hear myself think better and be more productive.”
Explaining how the condition first started, he told Ben and Cat: “I’ve had OCD tendencies my whole life. I’d say that around 9th grade of high school was when this manifested the most.
Cat and Ben appeared in monochrome (ITV)
“It slowly started with my wardrobe being mostly black. My parents are super supportive and usually only wear black and white around me.
“If anything, they are proud of how much online success I’ve had, turning something that sounds limiting into a personal brand.”
He continued: “When it comes to the outside, the best example I can give people is that it’s kind of like going to a job.
“I can’t control the outside, but I can control my own environment, so it’s the balance.”
Anto went on to explain that there is a misconception that he is ‘afraid’ or ‘has a panic attack’ when he sees colour, instead describing it as ‘more of an aversion’ and ‘preference of being in a colourless environment’.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, some people with severe chromophobia do have a physical reaction. This can include a rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating, or panic attacks when seeing specific or bright hues.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and gradual, controlled exposure can help reframe and reduce fear responses in people with the phobia.
During the segment, fans were quick to react to Anto’s appearance and the way ITV approached it.
“Colour is everywhere! How do you even exist?!” one person commented as another added: “Surely he can still see his own screen in colour?”
“Taken the colour out of the picture but the strap bar is still colour, make it make sense?!,” posted a third.