Last week, a Manchester performance of The Bodyguard musical was halted and abandoned after riot police were called in due to audience members breaking the rules and singing along. The dramatic scenes, first reported in the Manchester Evening News, quickly made headlines across the globe with police having to stop Friday night's performance after 'fights' broke out among those watching.
The decision to ban audience members from singing had previously sparked a debate on This Morning as, with Holly Willoughby off for the Easter holidays and Phillip Schofield taking a break, it was left up to stand-in hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O'Leary to take the reins last week. But the presenting duo found themselves flooded with complaints over their discussion about The Bodyguard.
The presenting duo, alongside Vanessa Feltz, were accused of 'making light of the situation' when discussing audience singing on the programme last week. The show, which aired on Wednesday, saw the presenters discuss the producers' decision to ban audience singing, with Alison saying: "Staff are taking this very, very seriously and inflicting these rules and they are regularly walking up the aisles before the performance and during the intervals with no singing signs", as Dermot chuckled: "This is great."
Alison continued: "I mean, I can't believe it. I'd be devastated, I'm not even going to go to that show now." And Vanessa said: "Isn't it the whole point of going to a musical you know, that you sing along to all the bits you know and when you don't know the words you just make them up? Isn't that what everybody does very very loudly while eating an ice cream?"
But, after the 'disgusting' scenes in Palace Theatre a couple of days after the ITV show aired, thousands of viewers complained on social media about the This Morning segment, while theatre veterans like Dame Arlene Philips and The Pussycat Dolls’ Melody Thornton backed performers and made it clear that the behaviour was unacceptable.
Now Dermot O'Leary has responded to the backlash. And he has a 'polite request' for his critics.
"Evening all.... A lot of people commenting about a reaction to a story we covered on This Morning about the 'Bodyguard' show and audiences singing along.
"Could I politely urge anyone passing judgement on the clip to watch the whole interview... as I was actually arguing AGAINST people singing too loudly in theatres.
"Nothing but love and respect for those treading the boards. Peace and love to all. Now, back to those Easter Eggs. Dx."
One of Dermot's followers wrote: "Saw it and totally get the whole story alison was just saying she likes singing along as a lot so some people have totally gone mad on it. Get a grip people." A second agreed: "Exactly this. People need to put the entire conversation in to context."
A third Dermot fan said: "You literally said nothing wrong, what even is this!!! Surely no one has actually had time to create something out of nothing once again folk should use their energy for more productive positive past times." Somebody else agreed: "yours & Alison’s comments have been completely blown out of proportion like you’re being solely blamed for grown adults bad behaviour. Both of you actually spend ages on This Morning being the most progressive & compassionate presenters on that channel & supporting theatre & new music & young artists."
Somebody else said: "Don’t ever think you have to explain your point of view. It’s your right." Another wrote: "I watched the program, I’m totally with you Dermot, we can sing along in our polite way, without annoying the people around us and not in a cat’s choir wailing volume."
Dermot's 'polite request' comes after Alison Hammond apologised to fans for her comments in reaction to The Bodyguard singing row on ITV's This Morning. On Sunday Alison wrote: ‘After reflection and the comments I made on Wednesday’s show I want to apologise to anyone who I offended especially the incredibly talented theatre performers, who I have the utmost respect for. I had no idea the level of disruption audiences were causing and tried to make light of the topic on Wednesday’s show, and for that I’m truly sorry."
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