Stacey Dooley clarifies comments after branding Nigel Farage 'attractive' on live TV
Stacey Dooley has clarified her comments after appearing to praise Nigel Farage on live TV.
Dooley made comments while appearing the Andrew Marr Show this morning (May 19) alongside journalist Sarah Vine and Ella Whelan of Spiked.
Addressing his guests Marr said: "Thinking of Farage, one of the things he's got, when he says something, he says what he wants to say.
"Whereas lots of politicians are looking over their shoulders wondering about their colleagues, wondering about the party line."
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Dooley responded: "That's exactly why people find him so attractive. He's very concise, he's very clear, he's very transparent - whether you agree with him or fundamentally disagree, you know where he stands."
But the broadcaster and Strictly star later took to social media when critics pointed out she had praised his controversial attention-seeking ways.
Alastair Campbell - a leading voice calling for a people's vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal - tweeted: "Did Stacey Dooley just say on marr that Nigel Farage is ‘transparent’ (unchallenged) and that people ‘trust’ Boris Johnson ? The latter point no comment.
Did @StaceyDooley just say on #marr that @Nigel_Farage is ‘transparent’ (unchallenged) and that people ‘trust’ @BorisJohnson ? The latter point no comment. As for NF, transparency might suggest you would say how your operations are funded and maybe have a manifesto?
— Alastair PEOPLE’S VOTE Campbell (@campbellclaret) May 19, 2019
"As for NF, transparency might suggest you would say how your operations are funded and maybe have a manifesto?"
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One viewer said Dooley was putting herself forward for a cabinet role in the future Boris Johnson/Nigel Farage administration.
Stacey was then forced to wade in and clear up her comments.
"Not in a million years...".
"Neither speak to me, I was simply stating SOME people find him clear, concise and honest about what he wants..."
Not in a million years...🤣
Neither speak to me, I was simply stating SOME people find him clear, concise and honest about what he wants... https://t.co/11tGLLKigr— Stacey Dooley (@StaceyDooley) May 19, 2019
She went on: "I couldn't be any clearer that Farage is not for me, but you can't ignore that others are drawn to him.. he's gathering momentum again and we are allowed to speculate as to why that may be."
...I couldn’t be any clearer that Farage is not for me, but you can’t ignore that others are drawn to him..
he’s gathering momentum again and we are allowed to speculate as to why that may be....x https://t.co/Fh2FLSIesZ— Stacey Dooley (@StaceyDooley) May 19, 2019
One supporter stuck up for Dooley, writing: "She was talking about brexit and said he was transparent. He is transparent on his Brexit message. That's how it should be taken and not manipulated into her showing support for Farage."
And Stacey seized on the comment with relief, adding: "Exactly right. This is why people swerve engaging in important conversations...because there are always people trying to find sound bites and take them out of context.”
The Strictly Come Dancing winner then addresses Campbell, accusing her of being misleading.
She quoted one of his tweets, asking: “Why do you do this? Why do you deliberately try and mislead? I wasn’t praising him and you know I wasn’t.”
Why do you do this? Why do you deliberately try and mislead? I wasn’t praising him, and you know I wasn’t.
I even say ‘they’ ..it’s clear I’m referring to how others perceive him.
In fact, I was sat listening to Alastair C last week. Echoing a lot of what he said. https://t.co/28MKQqM6PQ— Stacey Dooley (@StaceyDooley) May 19, 2019
