Noel Edmonds released store-bought lobsters into Peel Harbour after buying them from a local farm shop, and the move quickly turned into Lobstergate. His wife, Liz Davies, released the lobsters after Edmonds said he felt uncomfortable seeing them in a tank.
Edmonds, 77, shared the footage on Instagram last week and told viewers, "All right, this is one of those bizarre things that happens with us," before adding, "We were at a place where there were some lobsters in a tank, and we’re a little bit uncomfortable about the lobsters and tanks, so we bought the lobsters and now Liz is going to release them. So here we go… nice clear water in Peel Harbour,". He also described Peel Harbour as a "Wonderful place," and said, "And we know this is nice fresh water because a moment ago a seal went past."
Liz Davies in Peel Harbour
The release was the latest step in a chain that started at the farm shop and ended in the water at Peel Harbour on the Isle of Man. Edmonds bought the lobsters first, then watched as Davies let them go, turning a private purchase into a public act with 146,000 followers watching the fallout.
Some of his 146,000 followers pushed back immediately. One said, "Lovely sentiment, but from a marine biologist perspective it’s best not to release captive lobsters." Another wrote that the TV presenter has "basically killed" the captive animals by releasing them into the wild, while a separate follower joked, "The seals are waiting to pounce,". The comments did more than mock the post; they introduced the practical warning that moving captive lobsters from a tank to open water is not the same as returning them to a controlled holding system.
Matt Harrison and the tank
Matt Harrison, the farm shop owner, said the lobsters released by Edmonds and Davies were caught near Peel by a local shellfish fisherman. He told Manx Radio, "I’m sensitive to people’s feelings," but added, "But the vast majority of people want us to keep it and for us to keep supporting small businesses, which is the whole point of the shop."
Harrison said, "I’m still mulling over whether to keep [the tank]," and added, "There are still lobsters in there; they’re really healthy." He is considering moving the tank to a less visible position in the shop or removing it completely, which puts the backlash into a concrete business choice instead of a social-media storm.
"We’re just going to see what happens," Harrison said, and that is where the story now sits: the lobsters are gone from the harbour post, the criticism is live, and the shop still has to decide whether to keep showing the tank or change how customers see it. For now, the clearest read is that Edmonds wanted a feel-good gesture, but the response has forced the shop to weigh sentiment against display.
