Rylan responds to Simon Cowell’s X Factor ‘back door’ jibe
By Will Stroude
A number of people watching Sunday night’s Xtra Factor were left shocked when head judge Simon Cowell made a joke at the expense of Xtra Factor co-host Rylan Clark-Neal’s sexuality.
During the show, Rylan, who won TV Personality of the Year at the Attitude Awards last Monday (October 10) asked the judges to pick a door to choose which caller they would get for a judges’ Q&A.
As part of the segment, Rylan told audiences said “I love a front door”, to which Simon immediately joked: “I thought you liked back doors?”
The other judges and audience were left stunned but, the 27-year-old presenter took it all in his stride as he responded: “Oh, Simon! Would you like me to show you how much?”
Simon was left red-faced and quick issue an on-air apology, telling Rylan: “I apologise. I shouldn’t have said that – sorry, sorry, sorry.”
A number of viewers branded Simon “homophobic” in the aftermath of the exchange. At the time, Rylan tweeted that it was “no biggie”, but now has taken to Facebook to address the controversy in more detail.
https://twitter.com/murderous_andy/status/787399329682259968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
I can't believe Simon made that "back door" quip !! #XtraFactorLive #XFactor pic.twitter.com/XQ8FvX8ves
— Jonathan Lansana (@tvgenius05) October 15, 2016
Thanks for watching. And @SimonCowell made a joke, no biggie, and I took it….. (another joke) all love and laughs on #XtraFactorLive x
— R Y L A N (@Rylan) October 15, 2016
Responding to an Attitude report on the exchange, Rylan said: “Genuinely wasn’t offended understand some people might be but trust me I’m more offended by comments I get on social media every day calling me worse names by pricks sitting behind a keyboard. It was banter in this case and I personally wasn’t offended.”
He then joked: “Also I’ll get him to buy me a house in Ibiza whilst threatening to sue him… win win.”
We’re just glad there’s no love lost between these two.
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