Take That’s Howard Donald has been axed from an upcoming Pride festival after the singer was seen liking several transphobic and homophobic tweets online.
The Greatest Day singer, 55, had been due to headline at Pride festival Groovebox in Nottingham next weekend (June 24-25).
However, event organisers have decided to pull the plug on his performance and remove him from the line-up on Saturday (June 17) after outraged fans shared screenshots of the star’s “favourited” tweets online.
READ MORE: Will Young and Disney stars among support acts confirmed for Take That’s Hyde Park show
As well as tweets hitting out at the trans and gay communities, fans were shocked to see the pop sensation had also favourited a tweet by controversial social media personality Andrew Tate, who has been charged with rape, people trafficking and organised crime.
(Image: Getty)
Angry fans reached out to the Pride event to remove Donald from the billing, with many branding him a “hateful hypocrite” online.
Donald has since responded to the backlash by deleting his Twitter account.
Groovebox confirmed today that he had been cut from the line-up in a statement, which read: “In light of recent events, Howard Donald will no longer be playing at our Nottingham Pride Festival on Saturday 29th July at Binks Yard.
(Image: Twitter)
“We would like to offer our thanks to the public for alerting us to the situation this morning and also appreciate your patience whilst we spoke to the relevant parties.”
The event planners went on to explain that they were working on a new headline act for the weekend.
Following his axe, the singer issued a statement online which revealed he was “deeply sorry” and “really disappointed in himself”.
(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
He wrote: “I have made a huge error in my judgement liking social media posts that are derogatory towards the LGBTQIA+ community and for that I am deeply sorry and I know I have let everyone down.
“I am really disappointed in myself and I am sorry for any hurt that I have caused by my uneducated actions I clearly have a lot to learn and it’s a priority for me that I do this.”
Before his social media takedown, the dad-of-four “liked” posts included a shot of a poster advertising a Pride concern by Disney with the caption “Defund Disney”.
(Image: Instagram)
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Another post he liked read: “Washington in the USA just passed a law that the state can TAKE your children from you if you don’t allow them to transition. They are coming for your kids now.”
The boyband star also liked an image from an inclusive menstruation campaign which had the following caption: “Only women had periods! Men cannot menstruate. Transgender ‘women’ cannot menstruate.”
Howard also liked a parenting advice post from self-described misogynist Andrew Tate which read: “The only superhero a boy should have is his father. If your son idolizes fiction it’s because you’re so unspectacular you can’t even impress a child.”
Donals has since unliked the posts and deleted his Twitter page.
Howard’s representatives told Daily Star: “no further comment”.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
