Eamonn Holmes addresses old interview questioning ‘unnatural’ gay parents
Eamonn Holmes has set the record straight after a hostile reaction to a re-aired interview in which he asked gay parents if they were “unnatural.”
Tony and Barrie Drewitt-Barlow made headlines in 2000 when they became one of the highest-profile gay couples in the UK to have children, after twins Saffron and Aspen were born via a surrogate.
At the time, they were interviewed by Eamonn Homles. Reflecting the views of the time, he posed to the pair: “There are people who are going to say it’s not natural, and will say you’ve been shopping for the ultimate gay accessory.”
16 years on from first making a splash, the family this week featured in a documentary, which re-aired portions of the old Holmes interview.
After receiving criticism online, the TV host attempted to set the record straight as he re-interviewed the family on ITV’s This Morning.
Reflecting on negative feedback from Twitter, the TV host said: “I have to put questions, I have to reflect what people are thinking.
“I don’t like having to justify personal views because as a journalist I reflect what other people are saying and put the opposite question – which I did do in that interview.
“The interview was sort-of edited as if they were my views… but I would like to say for the record, any children who are in a loving environment, the way they are with you guys, you can only be proud at the sort of parents you are.
“I’d just like to say that on record…. I’m annoyed about what social media does and how it distorts things.”
The parents affirmed that the host had “always been supportive” of their family and that they had met “loads of times” since the original clip.
The Drewitt-Barlows defended the host, adding: “When you look at the interview we did with you 16 years ago, things have definitely moved on.
“You were asking the questions of the time, which were spot on really… and you don’t look a day older now than you did then, Eamonn!”
