JK Rowling denies having friendship with Fry after transphobia claim
The comedian, writer and television presenter – who narrated all seven Harry Potter audiobooks – distanced himself from the author last week when he described her as a 'lost cause'.
In his first public criticism of Rowling, Fry alleged that she had 'kicked up a hornets' nest of transphobia'.
However, on Sunday night she hit back at the criticism, writing on X: 'It is a great mistake to assume that everyone who claims to have been a friend of mine was ever considered a friend by me.'
Rowling made the comment alongside a screenshot of a social media post by Jolyon Maugham, a British barrister, in which he said: 'Really creditable this, from Stephen Fry.
'I've spoken to so many of JKR's once friends who now despair at her privately but won't do so publicly, which is very much the British way and why nothing ever changes for the better. So, well done Stephen.'
Rowling has become a leading voice in the transgender debate.
She publicly celebrated the Supreme Court's signficant ruling that transgender women are not legally women, posting a picture of herself enjoying a drink and a cigar.
Fry became the latest high-profile figure to criticise her after well-documented fall-outs with original Harry Potter cast members Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint.
On the Show People podcast, Fry said: ' She has been radicalised, I fear, and it may be she has been radicalised by terfs but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her. It is unhelpful and only hardens her and will only continue to harden her, I am afraid.
'I am not saying that she [should] not be called out when she says things that are really cruel, wrong and mocking. She seems to be a lost cause for us.'
He claimed Rowling was 'mocking' LGBT+ people and vowed his support for the community, adding: 'She started to make these peculiar statements and had very strong, difficult views. I disagree profoundly with her on this subject.'
Fry said he was 'very happy' to go on the record and say he was 'really angry' about Rowling's 'crowing' over the Supreme Court ruling, but added that he had always enjoyed her company and previously found her 'charming, funny and interesting'.
In her most recent addition to the trans debate, Rowling praised a BBC newsreader for appearing to reject a gender-neutral phrase during a live broadcast.
She said Martine Croxall was now her 'new favourite' newsreader after she used the term 'pregnant people', before adding 'women' with emphasis and slightly rolling her eyes.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
Jeremy Corbyn more popular among younger voters than Keir Starmer, new poll shows
Jeremy Corbyn is far more popular among young voters than Sir Keir Starmer, new polling has indicated, suggesting that Labour's decision to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds could backfire. While both leaders remain deeply unpopular among the public, there is a surge in support for Sir Keir 's predecessor among those aged 18-24, a new poll has shown. The survey comes just days after Mr Corbyn launched his own political party alongside former left-wing Labour MP Zarah Sultana. While Sir Keir's approval ratings are poor across all age groups, new polling conducted by YouGov on the day Mr Corbyn announced his new party showed that the left-wing politician has a rating of plus 18 among 18-24 year-olds. By contrast, Sir Keir has an approval rating of minus 30 among the same group. But among voters overall, the two leaders have a near identical approval rating, with Sir Keir on minus 40 and Mr Corbyn on minus 39. Earlier this month, the government announced it will give the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, expanding the electorate by 1.6m people at the next election. While there have been accusations from the right that the move was an attempt to shore up its own support, the YouGov polling for The Times suggests the move could serve to split the electorate even further if the results are reflected among 16 and 17 year olds. It comes amid growing concern over the direction of Sir Keir's government from voters on both the left and the right, with the prime minister's approval rating hitting an all time low earlier this month. Sir Keir's support among the public reached new depths of minus 43 after the £5bn welfare U-turn, according to new polling. The survey, first reported by The Sunday Times, also found that just a year after coming to power, seven in 10 voters think Sir Keir's government is at least as chaotic as the Tories' previous term. That includes one in three voters, who believe it is more so. Seeking to capitalise on the discontent with the Labour government, Mr Corbyn promised a 'new kind of political party' when he launched the as yet unnamed project with Ms Sultana on Thursday, claiming that more than 200,000 people have signed up. But dismissing the movement, technology secretary Peter Kyle said that the Islington North MP 'doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing'. Asked about the move, Mr Kyle reflected on what he called the 'chaos and instability' of Mr Corbyn's leadership. Speaking on Times Radio, Mr Kyle said: 'He's not a serious politician. He doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing. And we see that writ large at the moment, because all the posturing, of course, just puts him at odds with his own supporters, which is why you've got George Galloway saying he won't join it.' When Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana announced their new party, a Labour source said: "The electorate has twice given its verdict on a Jeremy Corbyn led party." The polling, conducted by YouGov for The Times, spoke to 2,013 adults between July 24 and 25.
Daily Mail
2 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
EastEnders star's wife is rushed to hospital as she's left unable to speak hours before family holiday
EastEnders star Ricky Champ's wife Sammy was rushed to hospital as she was left unable to speak and with swollen eyes just hours before they were due to go on family holiday. Sammy shares two children with the actor, who played Stuart Highway in the iconic soap from 2018 to 2022, and has been suffering from an ongoing health issue. And with just hours before she was supposed to meet her acting husband at Disney, she was left with swollen eyes and was forced to get medical help. In a Story shared to Instagram, Sammy shared a snap of her sore-looking eyes and her swollen lips as her skin broke out into hives. Alongside the post, she penned: 'What is the absolute one thing you don't need to happen the day before you fly to Disney when you need to go shopping/ pack/clean/do that's right, wake up with your lips so swollen you can't speak and eyes swollen shut so you're in A&E at 7am. 'One of the side effects of my gallstones and liver is severe hives all over my body every single morning that go away by bedtime then I wake up and it starts all over again. 'Something due to the toxins etc (still not considered urgent though, still been told need to wait a year + for an op).' After seeking medical advice, Sammy revealed her face had returned to normal and was no longer swollen ahead of their trip to France. Ricky was one of five cast members to be written out of EastEnders in 2022. Stuart was at the centre of a father's post-natal depression storyline, with the character struggling to bond with his baby Roland. He had struggled with his mental health after his diagnosis with breast cancer and he is having trouble adjusting to parenthood after he and wife Rainie (Tanya Franks) tried for a child for a long time. Ricky first set foot in Albert Square back in 2018 and has landed a spell of intense storylines, including confessing to accidentally killing DI Steve Thompson (Philip Wright) - who later turned out be alive. He also admitted to being a vigilante paedophile hunter which stemmed from being sexually abused as a child. The actor's additional ventures include his role as Paul Parker in the BBC Three sitcom Him & Her and a Games Of Thrones appearance as Gatins. Ricky was one of five cast members to be written out of EastEnders in 2022. Stuart was at the centre of a father's post-natal depression storyline, with him struggling to bond with his baby Ricky filmed his final scenes as Stuart late in 2022. 'In EastEnders I went from villain to hero to dad,' he told Digital Spy at the time of his exit. 'It was amazing, doing that for five years with a character's arc. It felt weird leaving him,' he admitted. Ricky hasn't ruled out a return to the soap someday, as he claimed that anything is possible. 'He didn't die. He rode off into the sunset. I think he's somewhere in the North Circular living with Rainie,' he said of his character.
The Sun
3 minutes ago
- The Sun
I found a dupe of Uniqlo's viral body bag for just a fiver – it comes in gorgeous pastel shades & fits loads in
UNIQLO'S £15 body bag has been all the rage on TikTok - but you can snap up a dupe version for a third of the price at Home Bargain. Bargain hunters spotted the budget retailer has brought out a replica bag for just £5, and it comes in a range of pretty pastel colours. 4 Shoppers have previously been posting about Uniqlo's Round Mini Shoulder Bag, which retails for £14.90. It has caused quite the storm on TikTok, with social media users hailing it a Mary Poppins bag for being deceptively big inside. If you've been eyeing up the viral body bag but can't justify the price tag, you're in luck. One savvy shopper has uncovered the bargain dupe at Home Bargain and it's every bit as stylish. 'Remember the UNIQLO viral handbags? 'Now at Home Bargains for only £5.' In their clip, which has racked up over 1,000 likes, they shared how you can pick it up in a range of dreamy pastel shades. These include a pale cream and sage green - but they added Home Bargains also has it in black too. The semi-circle bag has one shoulder strap, and a zip to keep your belongings secure. People are only just realising where Uniqlo's name actually came from, and it's leaving them stunned SOCIAL MEDIA REACTION Many people were quick to comment with their delight at finding a cheaper version of the sought-after bag. One said: 'noooo way! going to grab one.' Another added: 'OMG love this.' However, some people shared how they had found even more purse-friendly dupes. A shopper commented: 'I got one from Aldi for 50p,', while one said: 'I got one in matalan reduced to £1.50.' UNIQLO'S VIRAL BAG The Round Mini Shoulder Bag is lightweight and versatile, as it can be worn as a bum bag around the waist, over the shoulder, as well as across the body. It is also surprisingly spacious inside, and is perfect to house your valuables safely. The convenient bag can be worn for everyday wear, whether that is on your next shopping spree, brunch date, or weekend walk. Made from a polyester shell, it's been coated with a water repellent agent to make this bag even more durable and truly keep your belongings safe. The inside is spacious enough to hold all your valuables, while the inner pocket is ideal to house your keys or smartphone separately. The Round Mini Shoulder Bag comes in a variety of colours, including classic black, white and camel shades. But shoppers can also snap up the Round Mini Shoulder Bag in pink, yellow, pale blue, navy blue and green. For under £15, we think this is one bargain accessory you will never regret buying.
