NADINE Dorries has broken her silence following her “car crash” performance while standing in for Piers Morgan on TalkTV.
The former culture secretary had trouble reading her autocue resulting in her speaking gibberish live on air – prompting ridicule on social media.
Dorries has now taken to Twitter to respond to criticism over the incident.
I mean, it was hardly a slow news day and we got all this publicity for a trip up on an autocue?💥 🎉 @PiersUncensored My opticians appt was made at 9 am this morning. 👓 🎥 I may be doing more of this. 😉 https://t.co/eGclKllDTJ
— Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) October 26, 2022
She brushed off the criticism, responding: "I mean, it was hardly a slow news day and we got all this publicity for a trip up on an autocue? @PiersUncensored My opticians appt was made at 9 am this morning. I may be doing more of this."
After being left out of Rishi Sunak's Cabinet, the Johnson ally hosted Piers Morgan's show on his behalf but struggled in the role.
Oh boy. I think Nadine Dorries might actually be better at TV presenting than she is at politics. pic.twitter.com/E6jTiMo7px
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) October 25, 2022
She was subsequently roundly mocked on Twitter, with radio host James O'Brien taking aim at her.
He tweeted: "Oh boy. I think Nadine Dorries might actually be better at TV presenting than she is at politics."
While the mishap was seen as comedic fair game by some, food writer and poverty activist Jack Monroe took exception to the joke-making on account of Dorries's dyslexia.
I’m the last person to go to bat for a Tory, but I’m generally fair-minded. And disappointed in plenty of peoples behaviour on here from last night, so I guess y’all can be disappointed in me right back. 👇 pic.twitter.com/NI3P3p1y8l
— Jack Monroe (@BootstrapCook) October 26, 2022
She took to Twitter to say that while she is the "last person to go to bat for a Tory", she was "disappointed" in those making fun of Dorries to get a "cheap laugh at the expense of literally everybody else with a disability".
She added: "I’m aware this won’t make me popular in my home ground, but some things have to transcend partisan jeering."
Dorries previously referenced her dyslexia while defending herself from mockery when she was under attack for an embarrassing TikTok video she made while culture secretary.
In the clip, she said her work included ensuring the public can "downstream movies" and access "tennis pitches", prompting criticism across social media.
She responded by saying that “dyslexia” affects the way “I often run my words together”.
The NHS lists “misspeaking, misusing, or mispronouncing” words under the official symptoms of dyslexia.
