- The son of the late TV magician Paul Daniels has sparked a homophobic row
- An aggrieved viewer critictised Strictly Come Dancing star Debbie McGee
- Ms McGee – Paul Daniel’s ex wife – was dressed as Ginger Spice for her routine
- The Twitter user had suggested she looked a ‘drag act parody’ in her costume
- Martin Daniels, 54, called the Twitter user ‘gay and bitter’ in response
The son of the late TV magician Paul Daniels has sparked a homophobic row about his step-mother Debbie McGee’s latest Strictly Come Dancing performance.
Martin Daniels took to Twitter, following Ms McGee’s widely praised Spice Girls themed routine, to defend his step-mother from criticism using a homophobic slur.
An aggrieved viewer had suggested Ms McGee – who was dressed in a full Ginger Spice-inspired Union Jack themed dress – looked like a ‘drag act parody’.
The son of the late TV magician Paul Daniels has sparked a homophobic row about his step-mother Debbie McGee’s latest Strictly Come Dancing performance
Despite the 59-year-old magician’s assistant proving a hit with the judges on the show – one viewer took to social media to write: ‘Well that’s the Spice Girls ruined for me. I thought at first it was a drag act parody. Then the dancing started and it went down hill. Possibly her worst dance over marked,’
But Ms McGee’s 54-year-old son in law spark furore by replying directly to the comment with: ‘Gay’.
Responding, the user said: ‘Doesn’t take away how bad she dances the routine!’
One viewer took to social media to write: ‘Well that’s the spice girls ruined for me. I thought at first it was a drag act parody. Then the dancing started and it went down hill. Possibly her worst dance over marked,’
To which an unfazed Martin replied: ‘Gay and bitter! A great combo.’
The viewer then replied to say: ‘So bitter, how do I cope? Oh yes I dance every day and do my job. She wasn’t good in this and over marked. Let it go, your homophobic gay comment, I bet @thedebbiemcgee & @bbcstrictly are so proud of you.’
Backtracking, Martin claimed to believe he had done nothing wrong, tweeting: ‘It’s not homophobic to refer to gay person as gay. So don’t play the gay card. You’re not a victim be proud.’
An aggrieved viewer had suggested Ms McGee – who was dressed in a full Ginger Spice Union Jack mini-dress costume – looked like a ‘drag act parody’
Angry social media users piled in to condemn Martin Daniels’ comments.
One said: ‘Your Dad would turn in his grave if he witnessed that kind of homophobic crap that just fell out of your mouth! Doesn’t look good on Debbie does it…the world needs to see this!!’
But Martin remained undeterred, hitting back: ‘It’s not homophobic to refer to a gay person as gay.’