Take That star Howard Donald has been dropped as one of many headline acts at Groovebox’s Pride Festival after it got here to gentle he’d favored a lot of tweets that had been crucial of trans individuals.
Donald had been as a consequence of carry out on the Nottingham occasion on Saturday 29 July, which additionally options acts together with Horse Meat Disco, Essel, Sam Sax and a drag cabaret from stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK – however he’ll now get replaced by one other act.
Social media customers had earlier questioned Donald’s inclusion within the Pride line-up, highlighting a few of his earlier Twitter likes, together with one calling for Disney to be “defunded” after holding a Pride occasion, and one other criticising an inclusive menstruation marketing campaign with the message: “Only women have periods! Men cannot menstruate. Transgender ‘women’ cannot menstruate.”
Other likes from Donald’s account included a tweet from controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate, claiming “the only superhero a boy should have is his father” and one other itemizing “realities” together with “there are only two genders,” “Covid was a scam,” and “obesity isn’t beautiful or healthy”.
His different likes included conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11, criticism of Bill Gates and his charitable work and false theories round Covid vaccinations.
Take That acting at Windsor Castle for the Coronation Concert in May
Take That in 1993. (L – R) Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams and Jason Orange
Confirming his removing from the occasion, Groovebox’s Pride Festival posted a press release on their official Instagram web page, saying: “In light of recent events, Howard Donald will no longer be playing at our Nottingham Pride Festival on Saturday 29th July at Binks Yard.
“We wish to supply our due to the general public for alerting us to the state of affairs this morning and in addition recognize your endurance while we spoke to the related events.
“We are working on confirming a replacement headliner alongside Horse Meat Disco, Tayce, Danny Beard & ESSEL for Nottingham Pride and will make an announcement in due course.”
Donald has since deleted his Twitter account, and posted an apology on his Instagram story.
He wrote: “I have made a huge error in my judgement liking social media posts that are derogatory towards the LGBTQIA+ community and for that I am deeply sorry and I know I have let everyone down.
“I’m actually disillusioned in myself and I’m sorry for any harm that I’ve brought on by my uneducated actions I clearly have so much to study and it is a precedence for me that I do that.”
Howard Donald’s apology on Instagram. Pic: @Howarddonald
Earlier on Saturday, the official Nottinghamshire Pride organisers had tweeted to make clear that they weren’t a part of the Groovebox occasion, which isn’t affiliated with town’s most important Notts Pride.
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They tweeted: “It has been brought to our attention that there has been some anti LGBTQ+ endorsement from a performer at the Groovebox Pride Festival which has not been organised by Notts Pride.
“We are actually involved about this and we reject Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in our City.”
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Donald, 55, rose to fame in the early nineties as one-fifth of boyband Take That, alongside Gary Barlow, Robbie Williams, Jason Orange, and Mark Owen.
While Williams and Orange have since left the group, Donald is among the remaining three members, with the band headlining the King’s coronation live performance in May.
Sky News has contacted Howard Donald and Groovebox for additional remark.
Content Source: news.sky.com
