Stars who have been 'cancelled' amid controversy - public slap to restaurant row
Over the last decade, the idea of ‘cancel culture’ has been hotly debated and feared by some across the social and political spectrum.
While many consider it a crucial calling out of accountability and a tool of social justice, others fear it has become something more dangerous. Across the world of TV and film, we have seen dozens of household names so-called 'cancelled' following controversial comments, actions or serious allegations.
The term has become commonplace in recent years, used to describe a celebrity or well-known figure where fans have stopped giving support, usually in the form of a 'boycott', which can have a hugely detrimental impact on their work in showbiz. Here, we have taken a look back at some of the TV and film stars who have come under fire in recent years and why, along with their responses...
Will Smith
Will Smith appears to slap Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 (Getty Images)Actor Will Smith was infamously 'cancelled' after storming on stage at the Oscars and ferociously slapping Chris Rock across the face. The 54-year-old Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star was banned from the Oscars for 10 years after he slapped Rock onstage at the ceremony in March 2022 after the comedian made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. Aside from the Board of Governors decision to ban the film and TV star from the Oscars, Smith also faced the wrath of the public who were horrified by his actions.
Smith apologised in an almost six-minute video on his YouTube channel and Instagram, saying: “I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk and when he is, he will reach out so I will say to you Chris, I apologise to you. My behaviour was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.” Despite being publicly scrutinised and reportedly ‘cancelled’, Smith’s social media following still skyrocketed with followers - showing the limitations of being ‘cancelled’.
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John Leslie
John Leslie on This Morning (Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Formerly one of the nation’s most popular TV presenters, John Leslie was ‘cancelled’ when he found himself at the centre of a media storm. In Ulrika Jonsson’s 2002 autobiography, the model claimed she had been raped by a well-known TV personality when she was a 19-year-old secretary in 1988 but did not provide the name of her alleged attacker.
The former Blue Peter presenter, 55, was incorrectly named by journalist Matthew Wright as the alleged rapist live on air. He later offered Leslie an apology. The fallout meant Leslie lost his £240,000-a-year contract job on The Morning, with ITV bosses replacing him with Philip Schofield.
Leslie claimed that it started a “witch hunt” which led to a number of women coming forward with false allegations against him. Another woman came forward and accused Leslie of indecent assault but the case was dropped by the prosecution in 2003 and the presiding judge said he could return to his job "without a stain on his character".
Kayne West
Rapper Kanye West was widely condemned for a slew of awful anti-Semitic comments last year, which saw him ‘cancelled’ as a star. The 45-year-old who legally changed his name to Ye in 2021 tweeted last year that he was "going death con 3 ON JEWISH PEOPLE" before alleging he wasn't "Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also".
He later removed the tweet. While social media rushed to condemn his remarks, several brands distanced themselves from him and his talent agency CAA and the Balenciaga fashion house also ditched him.
James Corden
James Corden at The 2023 Met Gala (Getty Images)Former The Late Late Show host James Corden also found himself under attack after so-called ‘omelette gate’. The 45-year-old Gavin and Stacey star was banned from Balthazar New York restaurant last year for reportedly “yelling like crazy” at restaurant staff over an omelette after allegedly leaving one waiter “shaken”.
The restaurant owner Keith McNally branded the TV star a "gifted comedian" but a "cretin of a man" in a now viral rant. Following the controversy, Keith said James had called him and had “apologised profusely”. In an apology, James said: "I didn't shout or scream, I didn't get up out of my seat, I didn't call anyone names or use derogatory language. But the truth is I have made a rude, rude comment. And it was wrong. It was an unnecessary comment, it was ungracious to the server."
Not long before, James faced a petition of 12,000 people to ban his Late Late Show game Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts for being “culturally insensitive” by often serving culturally Asian dishes. Back in 2017, James was also forced to apologise for making jokes about Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault scandal at a charity bash in Los Angeles.
Ellen Degeneres
Ellen DeGeneres during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Getty Images)American talk show host Ellen Degeneres faced huge backlash and controversy last year following a series of allegations from staffers about a “toxic work environment” on set and . Some top execs who worked on the show were fired and an investigation was launched, prompting an apology from Ellen in 2020, whose small-screen slogan has always been 'Be kind to one another'. She announced her show would be coming to an end in 2022, saying it was for “creative reasons”.
In an apology, Ellen said: “As you may have heard this summer there were allegations of a toxic work environment at our show, and then there was an investigation. I learned that things happened here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously, and I want to say I’m so sorry to the people who were affected. I know that I’m in a position of privilege and power, and I realise that with that comes responsibility, and I take responsibility for what happens at my show.”
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DeGeneres added that the production team had had “a lot of conversations over the last few weeks about the show, our workplace and what we want for the future. We have made the necessary changes and today we are starting a new chapter”. Addressing allegations of rude behaviour towards herself, DeGeneres said that “being known as the ‘be kind’ lady is a tricky position to be in … the truth is, I am that person you see on TV but I’m also a lot of things … I’m a work-in-progress.”
Shia Lebouf
Indiana Jones actor Shia LaBeouf remains under the spotlight as he continues to face a legal battle over allegations of abuse made against him by his former partner, the musician FKA twigs. The former child actor was accused in 2020 of crimes including sexual battery, assault, and infliction of emotional distress - which he has denied.
The allegations have disgraced his career - including reportedly being dropped from Don’t Worry Darling, directed by Olivia Wilde, and starring actress Florence Pugh. Responding to detailed allegations about his conduct, LaBeouf told the Times that “many of these allegations are not true” but that he owed Barnett and Karolyn Pho, another woman whose claims feature in the lawsuit, “the opportunity to air their statements publicly and [for me to] accept accountability for those things I have done”.
Chris North
Chris Noth attends HBO Max's premiere of "And Just Like That" (Getty Images)Sex and the City star Chris Noth faced huge backlash and anger following sexual assault allegations made in 2021. The ‘Mr Big’ actor had made a return to the Sex and the City spin-off, And Just Like That, before he faced sexual assault accusations from three women between 2004 and 2015 - and cut him out of the finale.
The 68-year-old actor subsequently issued a statement denying any wrongdoing but was fired from his role on the CBS crime drama The Equalizer, final scenes of And Just Like That and a Peleton commercial was pulled. Speaking to USA Today last month, Noth again admitted adultery but denied the allegations made by two women about separate incidents they say took place in 2004 and 2015. “I strayed on my wife, and it’s devastating to her and not a very pretty picture,” he told the publication. “What it isn’t is a crime.”
The actor added: “You give yourself the same excuses that many men do; it’s just a little side dance, and it’s fun. You’re not hurting anybody. No one’s going to know about this, you know, and sex is just enjoyable. And suddenly, a lot of people want to have sex with you. It’s like: ‘Well, I’m not going to get this chance again.’”
Phillip Schofield
Phillip Schofield has said he is "not a groomer" after admitting to having an affair with a younger male colleague. (BBC)Most recently, This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield was thrown into controversy after admitting he lied about an “unwise, but not illegal” affair with a young male colleague who worked on the programme. The 61-year-old quit the broadcaster in May amid growing reports of tension between him and co-star Holly Willoughby before he dramatically cut ties with ITV altogether and was dumped by his management team when he finally admitted to having an affair with a much younger male colleague behind-the-scenes. The TV star told the Sun: "I did a bad thing: I will die sorry - I've brought the greatest misery into his totally innocent life."
Roisin Murphy
Irish singer-songwriter Roisin Murphy has faced ‘cancellation’ after furore around her criticising puberty blockers. The 50-year-old star came under criticism for a post written on Facebook calling puberty blockers “absolutely desolate, big pharma laughing all the way to the bank. Little mixed-up kids are vulnerable and need to be protected, that’s just true.”
She was cancelled by the BBC ahead of a programme called the 6 Music Artist Collection which featured five hours of her songs, interviews and highlights of her concerts. On Twitter, Murphy published a long statement apologising for: “this eruption of damaging and potentially dangerous social-media fire and brimstone. To witness the ramifications of my actions and the divisions it has caused is heartbreaking.” She added: “I am so sorry my comments have been directly hurtful to many of you … I understand fixed views are not helpful but I really hope people can understand my concern was out of love for all of us”.
Graham Linehan
Father Ted writer and comedian Graham Linehan has been under attack for a number of years following his comments around transgender self-identification. Mr Lineham has been an outspoken critic of trans issues and was banned from X - formerly Twitter - in 2020 for breaking rules around “hateful conduct” before Elon Musk took over and his account was reinstated.
Mr Linehan said: "The most important view I have is that it is a crime against humanity to tell children that they may have been born in the wrong body." Most recently, the comedian said he was “looking at legal action” after an Edinburgh venue cancelled a scheduled appearance by him following complaints from “outraged members of our community”.
Morrissey
Morrissey performs during his Broadway debut at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on May 2, 2019 (Getty Images)Singer Morrissey has been embroiled in controversy in recent years. With Brexit controversy, the former Smiths frontman spoke up as pro-For Britain, a far-right satellite party led by Anne Marie Waters, which states that Islam “is directly responsible for unimaginable cruelty to women, to atheists or apostates, to children, and to animals.” It has an entire manifesto dedicated to turning British citizens against Muslims.
In 2019, Morrissey wore a “For Britain” pin on his appearance on The Tonight Show, further cementing his political stance, making a number of worrying comments over the years. In 2017, Morrissey also defended Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, and more known sex offenders and been called out for making victim-blaming statements.
Armie Hammer
Armie Hammer in 2019 (Getty Images)Hollywood actor Armie Hammer went from a Golden Globe nominee in 2018 to facing serious accusations of abuse and sexual assault in 2021 when a woman accused him of violent rape and physical abuse throughout their four-year on-and-off relationship. There had been several months of allegations made by women online accusing the actor of manipulation and psychological abuse.
It was confirmed this year Armie would not face any charges in the sexual assault case brought against him in 2021. The Los Angeles county district attorney’s office said it had decided not to pursue the case after an extensive investigation.
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