Graham Norton hits out at ‘toxic cabal’ of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK viewers spreading online abuse

Graham Norton has hit out at a ‘toxic cabal’ of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK viewers sending online abuse to contestants on the show.

The presenter, who is a judge on the show, spoke about the ‘disgusting’ comments that have forced stars such as A’Whora and season two winner Lawrence Chaney to step back from social media.

Speaking to the Mirror, Graham said: ‘The [Drag Race] fans are really lovely, but I am aware there is this toxic cabal – and if they don’t like one of the drag queens, they go for them in a horrible way.’

‘If you’re in bed at night reading horrible comments about yourself, who knows what damage that does to you?’ he added.

‘I feel for young people who think they have to engage on those platforms.’

It comes after RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Sister Sister called for people to ‘be kind’ after being inundated with hate messages from nasty online trolls.

The series two contestant shared a statement on social media revealing they had been subjected to ‘shocking and incredibly painful’ comments by furious keyboard warriors – some who described ‘in graphic detail how they would like to see me die’.

Graham went on to speaking about the impact of social media, saying: ‘I don’t think we’re any crueller or nicer than we’ve ever been.

‘I just think that social media has given us a weird way to shout at the television so that the person on the television hears you. And that can’t be good for anyone.’

Meanwhile, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK stars Lawrence Chaney and Ellie Diamond received a surprise shout-out during the season 13 finale of Drag Race US.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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