Amanda Holden has been slammed for comments made about the late on her radio show. Paul passed away 'unexpectedly by peacefully' aged 67 on Tuesday (March 28) and tributes to the popular presenter and entertainer have flowed since.
Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda spoke about the 'very funny' broadcaster on her Heart Breakfast radio show. However, her praise of Paul - who rose to fame with his iconic drag queen persona Lily Savage and was an outspoken proponent of gay rights - for being 'not woke' has sparked ridicule.
In modern usage, 'woke' is generally accepted to mean being attentive to societal issues or supportive of social justice and equality. Speaking on air with her co-host Jamie Theakston on Wednesday (March 29), Amanda said: "Do you know what I loved about him [Paul O'Grady]? He was not woke in any way."
READ MORE: Paul O’Grady: Tributes pour in after TV star dies ‘unexpectedly' aged 67
As Jamie replied: "Nope, that's for sure", she continued: "He really had massive opinions on everything, which I love people like that." At another point on the show, she again claimed Paul "didn't have a woke bone in his body".
Birmingham Live reported that Amanda also said: "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."
But her baffling 'woke' remark drew strong reactions on social media. On Twitter, user @MutualAidLiker wrote: "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."
Mark Grimshaw (@MarkGComedyUK) tweeted: "When paying tribute to Paul O’Grady on during her Heart breakfast show, Amanda Holden said that he “didn’t have a woke bone in his body”. I can’t work out whether she doesn’t know what woke means, or simply doesn’t know who Paul O’Grady is."
Tony Cowards (@TonyCowards) posted: "Amanda Holden, on Heart FM, talked about working with Paul O’Grady this morning and, in amongst, the warm tribute she said that she loved his sense of humour as he 'didn’t have a woke bone in his body'. People who say 'woke' have no idea what it is or what it means have they?"
@MxDarren_ added: "Ma'am, Paul was the wokest of woke. 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?"
@FreddieBailey96: "Amanda Holden on Paul O'Grady: 'He didn't have a woke bone in his body'. She either doesn’t know what woke means or doesn’t know who Paul O’Grady is and what he stood for."
@RyanCollins1987 said: "What an awful tribute. Does Amanda Holden have any clue what the word 'woke' means. He was a socialist and a drag queen who fought for LGBTQ rights and against austerity. Ask Amanda what woke means."
Mared Parry (@maredparry) 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?"
@Andypodcasts added: "People need to put this ‘woke’ term to bed. The people who want to use it don’t even know what it means anymore. Culture wars at its peak."
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