Denise Van Outen hits back at ‘homophobic’ Ireland’s Got Talent viewer
(Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Denise Van Outen has hit back at an Ireland’s Got Talent viewer for making ‘homophobic’ comments about a contestant and presenter.
During an episode of the televised Irish talent competition this weekend, one viewer criticised the show for ‘nonsense’, which included a drag act and an obviously gay presenter.
Stating that the show had confused her children, Aoife Collins tweeted: “A man in women’s clothes with a terrible act, followed by a gay so-called joker to an overtly gay presenter… The list goes on. It was awful.”
(Photo: @DrCollins10 / Twitter)
Van Outen, one of the judges on the popular show, found the tweet and slammed the viewer for her message, calling it ‘homophobia.’
She wrote: “Homophobia. Not a great example to your children.”
(Photo: @Denise_VanOuten /Twitter)
In 2015, actress and former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Van Outen spoke out in favour of same-sex dance couples on Strictly, which has been a long-running debate on the show.
The Ireland’s Got Talent viewer went on to add to her earlier complaints, after being criticised by fellow viewers.
Collins criticised the nature of the jokes during the drag act, before hitting out at James Kavanagh, the presenter of sister show ‘Ireland’s Got Mór Talent.’
She wrote: “The problem with the gay acts was that being gay was the act. The jokes were about being gay.
“The drag queen looked ridiculous. The presenter James relies heavily on his gayness. It was all over done.”
(Photo: @DrCollins10 / Twitter)
Kavanagh himself replied to the tweets, hitting back at the viewer for the attitudes she may be passing onto her children.
He wrote: “You are absolutely foul. The fact you have children is terrifying.”
“Hopefully they grow up to be absolutely nothing like you.”
(Photo: @JamesKavanagh_ / Twitter)
The television personality found fame through social media site Snapchat, and is one of the first hosts of Ireland’s Got Mór Talent.
Last year, Kavanagh shared an example of the bullying he faced for being gay at school, a homophobic ‘survey’ a classmate had made in order to bully him.
Ireland’s Got Talent is the Irish version of the ‘Got Talent’ network of competitive television shows which now has versions in 58 different countries.
As well as Denise Van Outen, Ireland’s Got Talent is also judged by American television personality Michelle Visage, who is best known for her role on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
