Viewers of UK mid-morning TV show This Morning were left stunned when a man who claims to have the 'world’s smallest penis' appeared on the sofa to share his deeply personal story.
Michael Phillips, 38, from North Carolina, revealed that his manhood measures just 0.38 inches — significantly below the average of 5.5 inches — and it's a reality that has impacted every aspect of his life.
"I thought I was a late bloomer… but it never happened"
Speaking candidly to hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard, Michael shared that he first became aware of his condition during his teenage years but held on to hope that things would change.
"I was probably in high school, and dealing with girlfriends and stuff like that, I thought I was a late bloomer, maybe one day it would be normal size. But it never happened."
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Silence, shame, and singledom: "I kept it to myself"
When asked whether it was something he could talk about with his family, Michael — who also revealed he was adopted — admitted he struggled to open up about his condition.
"I kept it to myself, when I was in my teens and twenties, I was always single even though I had friends.
"They wondered why I wasn't dating and I didn't want to go through that."
For years, he kept his condition a secret, choosing to avoid the subject altogether.
As a result, no one around him suspected anything.
“I didn’t get picked on because nobody knew,” he said.
Micropenis and daily life struggles: "Even sitting down can be tricky"
But in adulthood, the hidden burden became much harder to manage.
Michael revealed that his condition has brought unexpected daily challenges, far beyond just dating.
"I can't go out and have a one night stand but it also affects my ability to use a restroom, my confidence.
Even sitting down can be tricky with the clean up and everything. I've tried everything possible. You can be upfront, you can try to talk to somebody, sometimes you don't say nothing at all."
Viewers react: Support, confusion, and criticism flood social media
As Michael's story unfolded on live TV, This Morning viewers rushed to social media to share their reactions — ranging from sympathy to outright confusion.
"Suppose it’s easy to slag the bloke with the smallest penis. Must be horrible for him," one person said.
Others questioned the motivation behind going public: "Why would you go on #thismorning and tell everyone you have a micropenis?"
One viewer poked fun at part of the segment: "When Ben asked the man with the micro penis how it affects his day to day life, he replied that he can't go on one night stands!
"Is that day to day life? I must have had a very boring life if it is."