Amanda Holden has received criticism for saying Paul O’Grady “was not woke” on her radio show.
Holden, 52, was speaking about her friendship and working relationship with O’Grady, who died suddenly aged 67 on Tuesday, when the remark was made on air on Wednesday morning.
She said on Heart Radio: “You know what I loved about him [Paul O’Grady], he was not woke in any way.
“He really had massive opinions on everything. He really had massive opinions on everything, which I love. Really funny, very witty, everything that came out of his mouth was brilliant.”
The term woke references an alertness to racial or social discrimination and injustice.
Fans expressed their outrage following Holden’s controversial comments on Twitter.
One person angrily wrote: "Amanda Holden’s “favourite thing about Paul O’Grady” being that he “wasn’t woke” has absolutely sent me.
“Is she talking about the same Paul O’Grady? Drag queen, queer icon, supporter of trans rights, anti-austerity king Paul O’Grady? Or does she just not know what woke means?"
A second commented: “I can’t work out whether she doesn’t know what woke means, or simply doesn’t know who Paul O’Grady is."
A third raged: “Amanda Holden on Paul O’Grady: "He didn’t have a woke bone in his body" That would be the drag artist, AIDS campaigner, LGBTQ+ hero and anti austerity critic Paul O’Grady. ffs.”
“Ma’am, Paul was the wokest of woke,” said another.
“The man was a queer activist, trailblazer and unapologetic drag queen on prime time TV when being gay was seen as dirty. What about that isn’t woke @AmandaHolden ?"
Holden’s backlash comes after she posted a photo of herself with O’Grady in honour of the late star in another tribute on Instagram.
In the snap, Holden and O’Grady could be seen smiling beside each other as they each sported a pair of sunglasses.
Holden captioned: “Woken up to this sad, sad news.
“I loved Paul. He was brilliantly opinionated, searingly sharp and very funny.. I loved our conversations ..I can’t quite believe it. Thoughts with Andre and their family…”
