Strictly Come Dancing contestant Amanda Abbington has told fans “I am not transphobic” in a seven-minute apology to fans on her Instagram account after a row escalated over her upcoming appearance on the 2023 series.
Abbington, most well-known for her role as Mary Morston in BBC’s Sherlock, issued the video update after some fans claimed they would not watch the popular dance show this year following comments she made previously.
Abbington said: "Apparently I'm trending on Twitter because people are going to boycott Strictly, I think because of a Tweet I made back in March regarding a drag show.”
Abbington, most well-known for her role as Mary Morston in BBC’s Sherlock, issued the video update after some fans claimed they would not watch the popular dance show this year following comments she made previously.
Abbington said: "Apparently I'm trending on Twitter because people are going to boycott Strictly, I think because of a Tweet I made back in March regarding a drag show.”
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00:00 My tweet back in March was regarding a 12 year old who was doing it in front of adults
00:06 and it just upset me because I saw a kid, a little kid, a 12 year old, doing something
00:14 very over sexualised and I didn't think it was right.
00:17 Personally speaking I don't think 12 year olds should be performing in drag shows in
00:24 overtly sexual ways because they're 12 and they need a childhood.
00:29 It's nice for kids to have a childhood and grow up and find that out when they're old
00:35 enough to really understand it.
00:39 And that was my tweet.
00:41 I didn't associate it with the trans community nor would I associate that with the trans community
00:49 because I think they're two separate things.
00:52 I'm not transphobic.
00:53 I'm not a transphobic person.
00:55 I am a firm supporter of the legitimate trans community.
01:01 I always have been.
01:04 I think they have been infiltrated by some people who want to cause damage and want to
01:11 cause trouble and pit people off of each other and cause as much harm as possible.
01:20 But I would support any trans person who is feeling persecuted or not listened to or not
01:32 seen.
01:33 Of course I would.
01:34 I'm not a nasty person.
01:39 I'm really not.
01:40 I mean anyone who knows me knows that I'd give you my last tenner if you needed it.
01:46 I'm not a hateful person.
01:49 And I support the trans community.
01:52 I also support women's rights and I support the importance of women within society.
01:58 And I think those two are being really pitted against each other.
02:03 So I'm sorry if you feel like you need to boycott Strictly.
02:07 For a tweet I made about a drag show.
02:11 But I don't think 12 year olds should be doing overly sexualized drag acts.
02:18 That's my personal opinion.
02:19 That's all.
02:20 And I'm not pushing anyone else.
02:21 I'm just saying that's how I feel.
02:24 It upsets me when I see kids feeling like they have to do that.
02:28 That's all.
02:29 But I didn't associate it with the trans community nor would I.
02:33 I'm an ally of the LGBT community.
02:40 And I'm an ally of women's rights and I'm an ally of kids being kids.
02:45 And I'm an ally of just living, let live and making sure that we all look after each other
02:50 and hold each other up.