Laurence Fox says: ‘I’ve been sexually molested by a famous woman. It can happen to anyone’ in Twitter post that sends internet into overdrive
Actor Laurence Fox was ‘sexually molested by a famous woman,’ he told Twitter followers on Tuesday night.
After warning his 208,000 followers, ‘It can happen to anyone,’ at around 9.40pm yesterday, the Lewis actor then joked in the replies.
The tweet has been met with jokes and shock by followers, including TalkRadio host Julia Hartley-Brewer, who replied: ‘I didn’t lay a finger on you.’
Laurence Fox’s tweet on Tuesday night has been met with a mixed reception by followers
Mr Fox replied: ‘Tell that to the cops.’
One user believes Mr Fox was joking in last night’s tweet, replying: ‘Love it, he carries on and doesn’t give a monkeys to all the snowflakes and chips on shoulders. Well done Mr Fox.’
Other Twitter users were incensed by jokes, one woman wrote: ‘It’s really awful that happened to you!
‘Some of these comments are just bizarre… would you be saying these things if a woman tweeted about being assaulted by a man? It can totally happen to anyone & should be treated equally!’
Fox then joked with Julia Hartley-Brewer after she replied: ‘I didn’t lay a finger on you’
Brian Stark wrote: ‘I can only assume that a lot of people replying must think he’s lying, unless they genuinely think sexual assault is funny.’
Another woman wrote: ‘People are joking, but I don’t think Laurence is….. If a woman said the same, none of you would take the p***.’
MailOnline has approached Mr Fox’s spokesman for further comment.
The actor recently claimed there is a ‘concerted drive’ in the acting world to make him ‘be quiet’ about his controversial views after his rant on Question Time.
The actor told TalkRadio the move was motivated by people finding some of his views controversial.
It follows Fox appearing on BBC’s Question Time in January and facing a backlash after he claimed the Duchess of Sussex had not been a victim of racism.
He subsequently hit out at black and working class actors for complaining about the industry once they have ‘five million quid in the bank’.
The star of ITV drama Lewis said there has since been ‘quite a concerted drive to make me be quiet’.
Followers were incensed with other Twitter users who used the tweet as a chance to joke
He told radio host Julia Hartley-Brewer: ‘You can’t just shut everybody up, there’s an emotional and an intellectual fragility to people who won’t tolerate dissenting voices.’
Fox, who was previously married to Billie Piper, was embroiled in controversy after he was forced to apologise for comments he made about the inclusion of a Sikh soldier in Sam Mendes blockbuster 1917.
Later writing in the Spectator, he said: ‘I have come to the conclusion that I may never get an acting job again without expressing ‘correct’ opinions.
‘While this probably isn’t the end of the world for you, it is a cause of some sadness and anxiety for me.
‘Not least because I’ve always loved my job and also because I have two children who need dinner and clothes and a holiday once in a while.’