RuPaul's Drag Race star Crystal speaks out after Laurence Fox loses libel case
Former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestant Crystal has expressed their relief after winning their court case against Laurence Fox.
The 38-year-old performer - whose real name is Colin Seymour - and another man named Simon Blake had been branded ‘paedophiles’ by Fox, 45, on social media when he hit out at them after they branded him ‘racist’. The online spat evolved into a multi-million-pound court case - which ended on Monday with a High Court judge ruling Fox was guilty of libel.
In the wake of the ruling, Seymour has taken to social media to share a lengthy statement where he explained he is glad to see the court rule in his favour, bringing to an end a lengthy and draining legal case. He also expressed a hope that Fox would reflect on the ruling and learn from his mistakes.
Sharing a typed-out message via X, Seymour wrote: “The judgement in our defamation case with Laurence Fox was handed down today, and I am incredibly pleased to say that we won on ALL COUNTS (5-0). The judge found that Mr Fox defamed me (and Simon Blake) when he called us paedophiles, with a likelihood of causing serious repetitional harm.
RuPaul's Drag Race performer Colin Seymour - better known by stage name Crystal - has spoken out following a court ruling (X/Twitter)
Laurence Fox was found by the high court of libelling Seymour and another man (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Walpole)“Furthermore, our tweets calling him a racist were found to be unlikely to cause any serious harm and therefore he was not defamed by us. I am incredibly relieved to have this outcome - a huge weight I’ve been carrying for over 3 years has just been lifted.”
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They continued: “I want to say again that I took no joy in bringing this case, nor did I do so lightly. Mr Fox could have made this go away very early on with a meaningful apology and settlement. Instead, and despite his protestations about the importance of ‘free speech’, he sued me for holding the opinion that he is a racist.
“Even last night, Mr Fox was tweeting about the importance of freedom of speech - ironically for Mr Fox, this victory IS a victory for free speech. The freedom to express an opinion and not be sued for doing so. Free speech does not cover factual allegations of criminality such as paedophilia.”
The performer went on: “I’ve said it before, but paedophilia is one of the oldest and most damaging homophobic tropes. Since Mr Fox used that word about me, I have been relabelled as such dozens of times, been physically threatened, and been afraid for my safety in public. This judgement unequivocally states that his tweet was defamatory and that it caused me harm. I am very happy to have this finalised, and I hope it will make some difference in the ongoing demonisation of queer people as ‘groomers’ or ‘dangerous’. This is a lesson: we will not take it.
“Furthermore, in relation to Mr Fox’s counterclaim (him suing me for calling him a racist) - the judge points out that Mr Fox destroyed his own career by repeatedly doing things people found to be racist/controversial, our tweets calling him a racist being a small drop in the ocean of his repetitional harm. She cites his photo in blackface, his use of the N-word, and his turning of the progress pride flag into a swastika as some notable examples of the harm he caused to his own public image.
“So, he ruined his own career and then, in a bullying retaliatory move, attempted to pin it on us. The judges says as much ‘The coincidence of it being the published opinions of the particular three individuals that he branded as paedophiles themselves being causative of the current state of Mr Fox’s acting career, or any other serious repetitional harm, is, in all the circumstances of the case, extremely long odds. Indeed, it might be said with some justification that the only clearly visible objective explanation for these particular tweets being sued on is that their authors had taken exception to being called paedophiles and issued a libel claim against Mr Fox.’
“Laurence Fox defamed me, and rather than apologising when we took issue, counter-sued in what appeared to be petty retaliation. This is likely to be a very expensive lesson in taking accountability, and I suggest Mr Fox spend some time reflecting on the serious harm he causes rather than fixating on his own self-inflicted martyrdom. Damages and costs still to be awarded at a later date so that is about the extent of my ability to comment right now.”
Making some final points, Seymour wrote: “I want to say a huge thank you to my legal team who held my hand through all of this. Mark Lewis, Lorna Skinner KC, Beth Grossman and Megan Tolkien - thank you for the unwavering reassurance. Lorna, particularly, was incredible to watch in court, having stepped in at the last minute due to the sudden death of our leading counsel Heather Rogers. I wish she could have seen this result as well.
“Thank you to my co-claimants Simon Blake and Nicola Thorp - I couldn’t have endured doing this solo. Finally, thanks to everyone who’s followed this case and shown support. I really hope this makes a difference.” It might not be the end of the legal battle, however, as Fox himself has signalled his intention to appeal the ruling, arguing his countersuit was unfairly dismissed as the judge “could not define was a racist was”. Speaking outside of court on Monday, the actor said: “So what we've got is nothing. It means we are going to have to go back to court, to appeal, and finally get to the meaning of this word - what is a racist?”
In her ruling, however, Mrs Justice Collins Rice had stated that Fox being called racist online would not amount to defamation. She said: “The law does not regard the particular imputations against Mr Fox that he was a racist, made by Mr Blake, Mr Seymour or Ms Thorp, as defamatory.”
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