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Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Kirsten McStay & Katherine Heslop

Frankie Boyle criticised over joke about 'raping and killing Holly Willoughby'

Frankie Boyle has defended his joke about raping and killing TV host Holly Willoughby.

During his performance at Latitude Festival last weekend, the Scots comic referenced a game about 'killing and sh*****g people', which included This Morning host Holly. According to reports, Boyle told the crowd: "I’d obviously kill her and rape her afterwards. I’m joking, I’d rape her first."

The controversial comedian defended the comment yesterday when he was asked about it at a book launch, Mail Online reports. Boyle said: "Can I just say, my routine about raping and f*****g Holly Willoughby was part of a very long routine about whether or not it’s okay to do a joke about that, and I look at it from both sides, there are pluses and minuses."

The 49-year-old also described how comedy is in "the eye of the beholder" and he believes he's a "mainstream comic." In the past, Holly, 41, has spoken up for sexual abuse victims, and has also revealed her own experience of 'upskirting' when photographers crouched on the floor to take photos of her.

Frankie Boyle (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

MP Caroline Noakes, Tory chair of Commons' Women and Equalities Committee said rape is never funny told Mail On Sunday that she was "disappointed" anyone would make a joke out of male sexual violence. A spokesperson for feminism campaign group FiliA said: "There is nothing funny about male violence and seeking cheap applause at the expense of traumatising women speaks of low-quality material."

TV host Holly Willoughby (ITV)

Frankie sparked outrage in the past with jokes on Rebecca Adlington ’s appearance and Katie Price ’s disabled son Harvey.

His quip on Mock The Week about Olympic swimmer Adlington earned a reprimand from the BBC Trust, which branded it “humiliating”.

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