Professional cuddler reveals how she makes up to £75 an hour giving hugs during This Morning - even giving host Ben Shephard a squeeze

Professional cuddler Anikó Rose spoke about the benefits of 'the act of touch'READ MORE: Hug it out - it really does beat stress... but only if you're a woman, study finds

A woman has revealed how she can make up to £75 an hour just by hugging strangers.

Professional cuddler Anikó Rose, who is based in Manchester, appeared on This Morning earlier today to discuss her unusual job.

According to Anikó, 42, she has been working as a professional cuddler for three years.

Speaking to This Morning hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley, she claimed the service can help people who are struggling with issues like trauma, stress, anxiety, and other mental health problems.

She even ended up embracing co-host Ben, as she demonstrated what she describes as 'cuddle therapy'.

Professional cuddler Anikó Rose (pictured) appeared on This Morning today, where she talked about cuddle therapy

At one point, Anikó (pictured, right) gave a demonstration, giving This Morning co-host Ben Shephard (pictured, left) a squeeze

Speaking about her work, Anikó said: 'Cuddle therapy is a very relaxing and healing experience.'

She continued: 'Touch has a soothing effect, because when we hug and hold hands, our bodies release happy hormones like oxytocin and this make our nervous system calm down, and therefore our body and mind get into a very relaxed state.'

Adding that the experience can be 'almost like a meditation', Anikó noted revealed that some people even fall asleep while receiving cuddle therapy.

This, she explained, is because during the contact 'thoughts fade away and people are just...relaxed'.

According to Anikó, she finds the work 'very rewarding'. She added: 'That’s why I do it.

'Touch has a soothing effect whether it’s through a hug or holding hands. Because of this calming effect, touch can also lower your heart rate, and blood pressure, lessen 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 the therapy.

The segment was controversial among some users, with some discussing the priceHowever, others joked about how they wanted to hug Ben

One X user wrote: 'I don’t even want to talk to strange people, never mind pay them seventy quid for a hug.'

Another agreed, adding: '£70????? …………erm no!!!!!'

However, others were more interested in the hug co-host Ben had received, with one X user saying: 'Ben's got lipstick on his shirt. Uh oh!'

Another joked: 'I'd pay @benshephard £70 for a hour of cuddles, tbh.'

And a third added: 'I'll start charging £70 for hugs if I got to go on #ThisMorning and hug Ben Shepard too.'