Courtney Act calls for Celebrity Big Brother fans to show ‘compassion’ to Ann Widdecombe
Courtney Act leaving the CBB house (Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
Celebrity Big Brother winner Courtney Act has urged fans to be kinder to runner-up Ann Widdecombe.
The drag artist, also known as Shane Jenek, says she had been alerted to the fact some people have been āmaking mean tweets and comments [to her] on my behalfā.
Courtney condemned online trolls, saying that fans who have sent tweets with “mean” sentiments do not represent her.
Courtney Act (Getty)
“Iāve heard that people are making mean tweets and comments on my behalf to Ann Widdecombe and others,ā she wrote.
āI do not support any mean tweets. Please treat everyone with compassion and understanding.ā
Later that day she told Lorraine Kelly: āWhat I really kept in my mind was, Iām not going to change Annās opinions, but maybe people watching, whether it be in the house or watching at home, will hear two sides of an argument,ā she said.
Courtney Act (instagram/courtneyact)
CBB Bit On The Side host Rylan has also faced abuse following the series.
He admitted on Loose Women that he had been attacked on social media for his stance towards the 70-year-old former Tory MP.
Recalling some of the online criticism, Rylan confessed he had been labelled “a disgrace to the gay community” by CBB fans.
Emma Willis and Ann Widdecombe (Getty)
Rylan, 29, said: “Ann Widdecombeā¦ Iām soā¦ I love the show and I love being there but Iāve never been more happier that this series is over, because every night on Twitter all I got was these people that were either Team Courtney (Act) or Team Ann Widdecombe.
“Iāve been called a disgrace to the gay community for not laying into Ann Widdecombe.
“My thing is if Ann Widdecombe had said or done anything homophobic, racist, whatever, in that house, she would have been pulled straight away and she would have ābeen out of that house.”
Rylan (Getty)
While inside the Elstree house, Ann told fellow housemates that she believes same-sex marriage is wrong and the NHS should not prioritise gender confirmation surgery for trans people.
He continued: “I donāt agree with Ann Widdecombeās views and Iād like to think in this day and age, not a lot of people agree with her views.
“But she is more than alright to have them (views).
Ann Widdecombe finishes in second place during the 2018 Celebrity Big Brother Final (Getty)
“She didnāt force those views on anyone while she was in the house or anything.
“So I treated her like a housemate, like I would any other housemate.
“And do you know what? Thatās my job, and I do my job well, and thatās exactly what I did with Ann Widdecombe. āI donāt have to agree with what she was saying.”
During her time as an MP from 1987 until 2010, Ann vehemently opposed gay rights ā voting to block them at every opportunity.
