A bizarre segment on ‘This Morning’ involving Holly Willoughby and a family of animatronic pandas left viewers rather freaked out and bemused.

On Thursday's episode (March 24th), Holly and her co-presenter Phillip Schofield explained that the robotic pandas were the first of their kind in the United Kingdom, and were part of an attraction opening over the Easter weekend at Chessington World of Adventures.

The 35 year old presenter held the baby of the panda family, which moved its head about and was so life-like that many onlookers were convinced it was real at first, having just tuned in and missed the explanation.

I've got a new friend on @itvthismorning today #babypanda #cute xxx

A video posted by Holly Willoughby (@hollywilloughby) on

“I'm really confused. Why is holly talking to a robotic panda like it's an actual thing? Has someone spiked my coffee? #pandahugs,” one user on Twitter mused. “That wasn't a real panda cub Holly was holding surely? It looked robotic,” wrote another.

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The sight was genuinely rather strange, with Holly and Phil playing and interacting with the baby panda just as if it was alive. “I'm sorry but Holly Willoughby is literally sat cuddling a panda presenting This Morning how do I sign up for this,” another onlooker joked.

While this was going on, a much bigger panda was rolling about in the open plan studio, where Trinny Woodall usually presents her segment. Rylan Clark, the celebrity gossip presenter, managed to get a massive bear hug from it and tried to get it re-named ‘Rylander’.

“I can't decide whether these electronic pandas are seriously cute or seriously creepy,” the stunned viewers at home continued. Another thought they were 'creepy': “Those pandas are too freaky. Watching Holly talking to one is just creepy. Have you not watched #Robocop? They'll kill you!”

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