I am not over familiar with the work of the TV presenting duo Ant and Dec. Obviously, I know who they are but I can confidently say that I have never consciously sat down to watch any of the many television shows they have presented over the years. This is not, I should add, snobbery on my part. I simply haven’t felt any inclination to watch Britain’s Got Talent, Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway or I’m A Celebrity. But now the cheeky chappies are in hot water for appearing in a video which showed the pair hanging from a washing line to promote their new podcast. “Fans“, said the Daily Mirror, “warned it could trigger those with mental health struggles.”
The video, now deleted, started off with Dec’s feet “appearing to be suspended in the air, which was particularly upsetting for some viewers.” As an “out” mental person, the last thing I want celebrities to be doing is to “trigger” people into – and let’s be absolutely blunt about this” – hanging themselves. But is the plug for a podcast really going to trigger people into committing suicide?
It would appear that the concerns emanate from unnamed people on social media. Here’s a rather long one in the Daily Mirror’s report:
“For someone who’s suffered and continues to struggle with mental issues, as well as knowing people who’ve lost their battles in a manner that the start of this advertisement insinuates is triggering. Be interested to know what mental health charities make of it @samaritanscharity @mindcharity“.
Unusually for a person who usually sees the world in black and white, I come from a neutral position in this instance. From what I can see, there was clearly no intention to “trigger” anyone into killing themself and it is arguable, to say the least, to suggest that it actually did. Indeed, I would have thought it would require quite a level of imagination to conclude that this was what the podcast plug was all about. However, the comments under the Mirror’s piece are typically rabid:
“For Christ’s sake, they didn’t intend anything at all to be taken from this. Too many bleeding Nancy’s in society today. They would have loved Alf Garnett!”
“Why have they done that just to appease the daft over sensitive people?”
‘Here we go, cancel culture is out in force again from two guys pegged on a washing line. I dread to think what the future holds when my son has children.
Here, the Mirror achieves what it set out to do. Run a story that they know will be controversial and just wait for the clicks and the angry comments. Job done. Modern journalism in a nutshell. And what have we gained? Jack Shit.
Ant and Dec felt the need to take down the video and make a statement, which read as follows: “We did not mean to cause any offence with this promo video and we are sorry if it has upset anyone. We have taken on board the comments and have deleted the video.” Given that I know nothing about Ant and Dec, I accept their actions and apology for what it is and that’s genuine. Personally, I don’t find the description of the video to be “triggering” but maybe someone, somewhere does, not a”Bleeding Nancy” perhaps, nor someone “over-sensitive”, but someone will suicidal thoughts. To anyone who might be reading this blog and is now contemplating ending it all as a result of Ant and Dec’s video, please contact Samaritans on 116 123 and seek urgent medical help. Because, trust me when I say, there are an infinite number of other potential triggering events out there. Get help before you see them.
I’m definitely defending Ant and Dec. I am as likely to listen to their podcast as I am to play football for England but I honestly thought this was a story of the eye of the beholder and what someone saw into something that actually wasn’t there.
Can we not just be a little more kind, to everyone including a well-meaning pair of TV presenters and those with mental health issues? Call me “a bleeding Nancy” or “over-sensitive” if you will – frankly, I couldn’t give a toss – but I reckon a bit more love and understanding would be preferable to the fear and loathing that is so prevalent in our world today.
Have a beautiful Sunday, everyone.
As Ringo Starr always says, peace and love.
