Strictly Come Dancing star Amanda Abbington addresses backlash over tweets after accusations of transphobia

Published

1 year ago

August 7, 2023

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Newly announced Strictly Come Dancing contestant Amanda Abbington has responded to threats to boycott the show over her previous tweets, which have been criticised by some fans as transphobic.

The British actress, who is best known for TV shows including Sherlock and Mr Selfridge, was one of the first stars to be revealed for this year’s Strictly, which will also feature broadcaster Angela Rippon, journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy, actor Layton Williams, comedian Eddie Kadi, and TV presenter Angela Scanlon.

After Abbington’s name was announced for the hit BBC series, comments she made about a show aimed at parents and their babies aged from newborn to two resurfaced online – with some critics of the star calling her transphobic.

In a lengthy video statement posted on Instagram on Sunday, the 49-year-old clarified her stance.

“I need to make this very clear,” she said. “I love drag. I think it’s an amazing form of entertainment and I f****** love drag queens. I think they’re hilarious and brilliant… it’s an art form and I think there’s absolutely a place for it in the entertainment industry. My son played Jamie in Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, and he was a wonderful drag queen.

“But my tweet back in March was regarding a 12-year-old who was doing it in front of adults. And it just upset me because I saw a kid, a little kid, a 12-year-old, doing something very over-sexualised. And I didn’t think it was right…

“And that was my tweet. I didn’t associate that with the trans community, nor would I associate that with the trans community, because I think they’re two separate things. And I’m not transphobic… I am a firm supporter of the legitimate trans community.”

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Abbington went on to say she would “support any trans person who is feeling persecuted or not listened to or not seen” and that she also supports women’s rights and “the importance of women within society”.

She continued: “And I think those two are being really pitted against each other. And what we need to do now more than ever is just make sure that everybody is looking after each other… I don’t want everyone to be at each other’s throats.

“I do believe that we need to look after kids and we need to look after women and we need to look after the legitimate trans people who are finding it really f****** difficult at the moment.”

Abbington admitted that she had said “stupid things” in the past and “instantly” regretted them.

“Everybody’s learning and we need to take a breath and take a beat and look after each other,” she continued. “So I’m sorry if you feel like you need to boycott Strictly for a tweet I made about a drag show, but I don’t think 12 year olds should be doing overly sexualised drag acts.

“That’s my personal opinion, that’s all. I’m not pushing it on anyone else, I’m just saying that’s how I feel.”

Abbington also addressed why she is no longer on Twitter (now X), saying she left voluntarily “because I don’t like it over there anymore”.

Strictly Come Dancing will be back on TV this autumn, judged by Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse, with more contestants set to be announced.

British wildlife presenter Hamza Yassin and professional dancer Jowita Przystal were the winners of the competition in 2022.

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Painting of nude woman prompts police visit at Powys art gallery

Published

9 hours ago

September 20, 2024

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Painting of nude woman prompts police visit at Powys art gallery

A painting of a nude woman with her legs open has prompted a police visit to an art gallery in Mid Wales.

The painting is on display in the window of The Table in Hay-on-Wye, Powys.

Warning: The image below shows the painting

According to gallery owner Val Harris, the police have asked her to remove the painting under the Public Order Act, but she has refused to do so.

Ms Harris told Sky News the response the painting had received from some people was “shocking” and “rather sad”.

“We had the police here under the Public Order Act. They’d had complaints,” she said.

“I’m not prepared to take it out of the window. I run an art gallery, I support my artists, so that’s where we got to.

“And Poppy [Baynham, the artist] wants to keep it in the window, if she wanted to move it ’cause she was finding it too traumatic, I would have respected whatever she wanted.”

The painting formed part of the gallery’s It’s Party Time exhibition.

Some of the complaints were read out in a public meeting on Thursday afternoon, called so people could ask questions about the artwork.

One complaint was that the painting was “not suitable for children”, while another described it as “very sexualised”.

Baynham told Sky News it was “only supportive people” who attended the meeting after the complaints had been made.

“I think everyone who didn’t like the painting was just a bit scared to show their faces obviously. So it turned out really, really great, a lot of people showed up,” she said.

“I couldn’t do it without the support, I think I would have given in if it was all hate.”

The discussion that has been sparked by Ms Baynham’s painting is “all an artist dreams of”, she added.

“The publicity has been amazing for my work, I’ve never had so much people talk about it.”

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed it had received a report and that officers had attended the gallery.

They added the neighbourhood policing team was monitoring the situation.

Entertainment

Kylie Minogue reveals major world tour news – her biggest in more than a decade

Published

1 day ago

September 19, 2024

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Kylie Minogue reveals major world tour news - her biggest in more than a decade

Kylie Minogue has announced her biggest tour in more than a decade – as well as a new album.

The pop star’s Tension tour will open in her home country, Australia, before heading to Asia and reaching the UK in May 2025. More countries and dates in Europe and North and South America are set to be announced over the coming weeks.

It comes after huge success last year with her viral sensation hit Padam Padam and album Tension, as well as a Las Vegas residency and a big show at Hyde Park in London earlier in the summer.

“I am beyond excited to announce the Tension tour 2025,” Minogue said in a statement sent to Sky News. “I can’t wait to share beautiful and wild moments with fans all over the world, celebrating the Tension era and more!

“It’s been an exhilarating ride so far and now, get ready for your close up because I will be calling Lights, Camera, Action… and there will be a whole lot of Padaming!”

The UK dates include shows in Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Nottingham and Birmingham, and two at London’s O2 Arena.

Minogue first teased the news as she announced her new album, Tension II, earlier today – revealing the sequel will be released in October, with the lead single, Lights Camera Action coming on 27 September.

“But wait! There’s more…” she added.

The tour announcement followed this afternoon. It will be Minogue’s first since her Golden shows in 2018 and 2019 and her biggest since the Aphrodite: Les Folies tour in 2011, which followed the Aphrodite album and hits including All The Lovers and Get Outta My Way.

The new album includes the dance hit Edge of Saturday Night with The Blessed Madonna, as well as collaborations with Orville Peck, Bebe Rexha and Tove Lo, and Sia.

“The Tension era has been so special to me,” the star said. “I can’t possibly let it be over just yet!”

Minogue, who rose to fame on Australian soap Neighbours in the 1980s before becoming a pop mega star, has had hits throughout the decades ever since – from I Should Be So Lucky, Hand On Your Heart and Better The Devil You Know, to Confide In Me, Spinning Around and Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.

Padam Padam, released in 2023, marked another reinvention with a move into electronic dance, and became a viral hit.

Earlier this year, she was named a global icon at the Brit Awards, and won the Grammy for best pop dance recording for the single.

Entertainment

Geoff Hinsliff: Star who played Coronation Street villain Don Brennan has died

Published

1 day ago

September 19, 2024

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Geoff Hinsliff: Star who played Coronation Street villain Don Brennan has died

Coronation Street star Geoff Hinsliff has died aged 87, ITV has said.

The actor was best known for playing Don Brennan on the soap from 1987 to 1997. He died last weekend.

Helen Worth, who plays Gail Platt in the show, paid tribute to Hinsliff on behalf of Coronation Street and ITV, saying: “Geoff was a lovely, quiet man who will be sadly missed by us all.

“His partnership with Lynne Perrie was something rather special and they gave the viewers huge pleasure for many years.”

Born in Leeds, Hinsliff studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and initially appeared on Coronation Street in 1963 and 1977 as different characters.

He joined the cast as taxi driver Don in 1987.

His 10-year stint on the cobbles saw him commit kidnap and attempted murder after several business deals went wrong before his character died when he crashed his car into a viaduct.