A woman has revealed how she can earn up to £75 an hour simply by hugging strangers.
Professional cuddler Anikó Rose, who lives in Manchester, appeared on This Morning today to talk about her unusual job.
According to Anikó, 42, she has been working as a professional hugger for three years.
Speaking to This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, she said the service can help people struggling with issues such as trauma, stress, anxiety and other mental health issues.
She even ended up hugging co-host Ben, while demonstrating what she describes as “cuddle therapy.”
Cuddle pro Anikó Rose (pictured) appeared on This Morning today, where she talked about cuddle therapy.
At one point, Anikó (pictured, right) demonstrated, giving This Morning co-host Ben Shephard (pictured, left) a squeeze.
Speaking about her work, Anikó said: ‘Hug therapy is a very relaxing and healing experience.’
She continued: “Touch has a calming effect, because when we hug and hold hands, our bodies release happy hormones like oxytocin and this causes our nervous system to calm down and therefore our body and mind enter in a very relaxed state.”
Anikó added that the experience can be “almost like a meditation” and revealed that some people even fall asleep while receiving hug therapy.
This, he explained, is because during contact “thoughts fade away and people just… relax.”
According to Anikó, the work is “very rewarding.” And she added: ‘That’s why I do it.
‘Touch has a calming effect, whether through a hug or holding hands. Because of this calming effect, touch can also lower heart rate and blood pressure, decrease depression and anxiety, and relieve pain.
She also noted that the sessions she has with her client are completely non-sexual and that, as a trained professional in her line of work, there is a strict code of conduct for both therapists and clients.
The segment was controversial among some viewers, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts, with many referencing the cost of therapy.
The segment was controversial among some users, with some discussing the price, however, others joking about how they wanted to hug Ben.
One X user wrote: “I don’t even want to talk to strangers, let alone pay them seventy quid for a hug.”
Another agreed, adding: ’70 pounds????? ……………
However, others were more interested in the hug co-host Ben had received, with one X user saying: “Ben has lipstick on his shirt.” Uh oh!’
Another joked: “I’d pay @benshephard £70 for an hour of cuddles, tbh.”
And a third added: “I’ll start charging £70 for hugs if I can go on #ThisMorning and hug Ben Shepard too.”