Laurence Fox Quits Social Media Following Question Time Backlash: ‘I Am Fearing For My Future’
Laurence Fox has announced he is taking an “extended break” from social media, revealing he has become “more and more depressed” following his divisive appearance on Question Time.
The actor hit the headlines last month after he appeared as a panellist of the BBC One current affairs show, during which he accused a mixed-race university lecturer of “racism” for branding him a “white privileged male”.
His comments led to a heated debate on Twitter, with the acting union Equity branding Laurence a “disgrace to our industry”.
Laurence Fox: "I was born this way. To call me a white privileged male is racist"
WHAT THE SH*** #bbcqtpic.twitter.com/TqYb1xq2VG— Femi (@Femi_Sorry) January 16, 2020
On Monday, the 41-year-old Lewis star shared a 13-part thread on Twitter in which he pointed to the “deadly consequences” of society’s so-called “cancel culture.”
HIs Twitter thread read: “I’m going to take an extended break from social media. I’d like to say a couple of things. First of all, a huge thank you to all of you who have followed me throughout my career and travelled vast distances to come and see me on stage, be in acting or singing.
“Since my appearance on question time and the ensuing hubbub, I have had nothing but support on the street, from people of all backgrounds and political view points. In the weird and lonely days that followed that appearance, your kind words have lifted my spirits. Thank you.
“But privately I have been becoming more and more depressed. I have been so shocked by some of the things said to me on these platforms and I have found some of it very hard to process. I think it’s important to stand up to bullies and that is why I have continued to do so.
“But I find that I wake up in dread of what’s to come. I’m a fairly private if opinionated person and it’s been very painful and difficult to cope with. However I also believe passionately in free speech.”
He continued: “I stand wholeheartedly by...
