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The contentious moment when Joel Dommett humorously suggested he would “shank” someone over sweets is still making waves online—one week later.
He made this remark, which is slang for stabbing, while hosting the I’m A Celeb spin-off, Unpacked, last Tuesday.
Joel Dommett joked he would ‘shank’ someone over sweetsCredit: BBC/Remarkable
Joel was criticized by the father of a knife crime victim after his jokeCredit: Supplied
Dommett, 40, remarked to main show hosts Ant and Dec: “If someone stole my Haribo, I’d shank them.”
He then questioned, “Is that okay to say on television?”
Dec responded by saying Joel had “overstepped the mark,” and he faced backlash from anti-knife crime campaigners.
Martin Cosser, whose son was a victim of a knife attack, expressed his outrage.
He stated: “Charlie died by losing every milligram of blood in his body—a ruptured bowel, a ruptured spleen; he had been stabbed in the heart.”
“There’s nothing humorous about knife crime. There truly isn’t.”
Joel issued an apology live on air and later stated: “
“I would like to sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by the language used during Tuesday’s show.
“I recognized the mistake in the moment and immediately apologized live on air.
“This was not a pre-written joke, and I would never trivialize such a serious issue as knife crime.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Joel Dommett say that caused controversy?
Joel Dommett joked that he would “shank” someone over sweets while hosting a show, which sparked criticism for its insensitivity regarding knife crime.
How did Joel respond to the backlash?
Joel apologized on air and later issued a statement expressing regret for his comments, clarifying that he would never make light of such a serious issue as knife crime.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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