Fired Emmerdale star Shila Iqbal tweeted gay slur
Actress Shila Iqbal has been fired from the ITV soap Emmerdale ( Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)
Emmerdale actress Shila Iqbal has been fired for using the word “gay” in a derogatory way in old social media posts.
The 24-year-old also used racist language in tweets she sent at the age of 19.
The MailOnline reported one read: “Do not tweet me you gay.”
In another post read: “I know too many noisy n****s.”
The 24-year-old was dismissed by the ITV soap after the old social media posts resurfaced.
Iqbal, who played the character Aiesha Richards, said she was “terribly sorry” for using “inappropriate language” in tweets sent in 2013.
In a statement, she said: “I am terribly sorry and take full responsibility for my use of such inappropriate language. I have paid the price and can no longer continue the job I loved the most at Emmerdale.
Shila Iqbal at a premier in London in March (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images)
“Although I was young when I made the tweets, it was still completely wrong of me to do so and I sincerely apologise.
“The only consideration I would ask is that I have recently received hateful tweets telling me that as a Muslim my Emmerdale role means that I am ‘committing sinful acts, promoting sin and deliberately going against the Quran’.
“We live in sensitive times for members of all communities and especially those in multi-racial Rochdale, where I grew up. I regret that I too have let people down by the use of such language, albeit six years ago.
“I, like everyone else, have a responsibility about the language I have used on social media as well as in conversation.”
