Carl Fogarty found himself being mercilessly trolled online after posting a message of support for daughter Claudia as she prepared to make her Love Island debut.
The motorcycling legend took to Instagram on Tuesday night to wish the 28-year-old good luck as she arrived in the villa as a bombshell just after the heart-rate challenge, wearing red angel wings.
Sharing a photo of himself and Claudia raising a glass, he wrote: “Good luck to my daughter @claudiafogarty who makes her long awaited appearance on tonight’s Love Island.”
The former I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! winner signed off with a gritted teeth emoji, followed by a monkey cover his eyes and a fingers crossed emoji.
His followers were less supportive, however, and questioned why he would want to highlight the fact that his daughter was going on the ITV2 dating show.
“Wouldn’t be adertising that,” wrote one person, followed by three crying with laughter emojis.
“Why would anyone want to go on that s****,” remarked a second.
“Why would anyone be proud of their daughter or son going on trashy island (sic). Anyone who goes on that has no respect for themselves!” penned a third, with a fourth adding: “Why are these kids so desperate for fame through a trashy programme?”
Not everyone was so mean, though.
“Good luck to your girl and well done for being a great role model of a dad and showing her support,” wrote one person.
Several others also sent good luck messages to the fashion boutique owner, who said in her entrance interview that she has been single for around eight months and feels that now is the “perfect time” for her to appear on Love Island.
She said: “It’s come at the perfect time in my life. I’m 28, I’m not getting any younger and I’ve been single for 8 months, so I feel ready to settle and find ‘the one’. I’m done with the ‘bad boys’, I just want to find my person and now is the right time.”
Claudia surprised the other islanders on the show as she strutted into the villa on Tuesday night, saying: “Let’s really get them hearts racing.”
