Fury at ‘panto’ jibe by X-Factor judge
Under fire Gary Barlow, and below, Johnny Robinson
X-FACTOR judge Gary Barlow has sparked outrage in Scarborough after comparing a contestant’s performance to “a bad pantomime” in the town.
And he has been urged to visit the town to see for himself what the pantos are like!
He made the comment during the live show on Saturday night in front of a television audience of millions.
It followed a performance from contestant Johnny Robinson, who sang a mash-up of Hung Up by Madonna and Dead or Alive classic You Spin Me Round.
In last night’s results programme Robinson was voted off the show by the four judges.
Scarborough’s very own Sophia Wardman, who was a contestant on last year’s show with her group Belle Amie, has hit back at the comments.
Speaking to the Evening News, she said: “When I saw it I was not very happy at all with him dissing Scarborough.
“If it’s good enough for Elton John then it should be good enough for him.
“(Fellow judge) Tulisa was only here the other month, so she must have been really embarrassed. I mean, what was he thinking?”
Immediately following the Take That star’s comments, irate Scarborians took to Twitter to hit back at the judge.
Scarlett Johnson expressed her displeasure with the judge, writing: “So glad I don’t follow Gary Barlow any more after that comment about Scarborough!”
Theo and Beth stuck up for pantomimes in the town, saying: “Gary Barlow why insult Scarborough..our pantomimes are AMAZING!
And Jess Haigh tweeted: “Have discovered what was said about Scarborough. Barlow, you are dead to me. After all we’ve been through together...”
This year, the Spa will be staging a performance of Aladdin for its annual pantomime.
The Evening News contacted The Spa for comment, but nobody was available.
However, one visitor to the town leapt to the defence of pantomimes in Scarborough. Holidaymaker Martin Riley said his mother used to watch the pantomimes when she visited Scarborough, which he called “lovely”.
The 42-year-old Londoner labelled the comments “disgusting”, saying: “He should have to come and apologise for what he’s said.
“There’s nothing wrong with it, and maybe if he visited and watched one then he might change his mind.”
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Comments
There are 39 comments to this article
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pteronaut
Saturday, November 12, 2011 at 06:14 PMWas he really having a jibe at Scarborough or at former Take That member Robbie Williams? As Robbie Williams is known to have visited Cayton Bay Holiday Village on a number of summers as a child?
Removed by Moderator
Friday, November 11, 2011 at 08:26 PMtsbnp and baznpat are bnp through and through
Animalhouse
Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 05:59 PMBring Johnny over to be a Dame here! As for the state of the beach after the bonfires - you should have seen the state of them earlier last week, covered in sewage, toilet paper, condoms and tampons etc. How do we get a flag for having a clean beach?
TSnf
Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 05:00 PMPoor punctuation and spelling #23 ("To" should read "too" and I think that a new sentence, therefore a capital letter after the "?"). Suggest you take literacy classes to improve your "skills"!! Also, I've never heard of a programme called "Come goose stepping", is this a favourite of yours?
FairDealForFiley
Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 10:17 AMVerity, head of Yorkshire Forward, on the radio this morning saying what good this has done Scarborough, and praising Peers and his crowd for drawing peoples attention to the area. Talk about spin and the 'in crowd' of Peers, Verity, Dillon, Sly and his band of lapdogs. Verity even suggested inviting Gary Barlow over to see for himself - as long as Verity pays out of his own pocket and does not incur the taxpayer in any expense.
Bluebird One
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 09:35 PMThe bad Panto in SCARBOROUGH we all know it's on at the TOWN HALL..................................OH no it is'nt......oh yes it is?. Thanks Gary Barlow for saying the word S C A R B O R O U G H , you could of said Bridlington?. Merry Christmas.
wasteofmoney
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 09:02 PMIt's a shame the SEN didn't take time to comment on the disgraceful mess the beach was left in on Sunday morning!! We watched various people creating piles of rubbish ( yes mattresses, sofas, chairs...not much wood anyway) on the beach for bonfire night. I have no problem with this but could not believe that they didn't bother returning to clear up the non flammable springs, chair frames and numerous glass plastic bottles (ie crt*p) they had strewn about the beach!! I can't understand why the council allowed it or didn't take time to ascertain on Saturday who was responsible for each bonfire and then bill them for clearing it up on Sunday. It would be very simple to give permission on the proviso that the 'organiser' clears up and, if not, is fined or has the cost added to their council tax bill....we saw vans and people setting them up so it wouldn't have been that hard to sort out! Surely SEN this is newsworthy and might actually incite someone on the council to stop it happening again next year?
maxkolb
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 08:46 PMGary was spot on saying it was like an opening to a panto, disagree with the insertion of the word "bad"? Johnny would make an excellent dame and Scarborough would be advised to invite him for the 201213 event at the spa. Oh yes they would! We've been to the Spa panto with our kids for the past 3 yrs and the standard varies, last year they had an excellent dame who injected just the right amount of cheeky adult, way over the heads of kids, humour but delivered for the kids as well. You are never going to get it right every year but as a family outing Scarborough Panto is great entertainment in the dull winter months. As for all those bashing the x factor, it's rubbish (oh yes it is) but what else do you want in it's place? There are no outlets for talented people in this country anymore. The clubs are not what they used to be and we don't have variety shows anymore. None of these people are going to be superstars but if it gives them a career entertaining people, good luck to them. These are the types of acts you could attract to the futurist, spar and OAT. Probably wouldn't fill the venues but, providing they get the pricing right, would attract audiences that would help make the venues viable.
badger464
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 08:34 PMOh but there is one very bad pantomime in Scarborough
The Truth Spoken Louder
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 07:21 PMPeople of Scarborough..... Please grow up! This is totally ridiculous and the SEN should be embarrassed to even write such a load of rubbish... Do you people who are so called "outraged" actually have a life?
Old Father Time
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 07:01 PMCloughton Village Fund invite Gary Barlow to join us in Burniston and Cloughton Village Hall to judge Jack and the Beanstalk, our 11th, we confidently predict, successfull pantomime. He'd better respond soon or he won't get a ticket, whoever he is?
Saveourfieldmoorlane.webs.com
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 06:52 PMSo what?I don't think Gary Barlow was trying to suggest all pantomines in Scarborough are bad anyway.I think he was just using Scarborough as a example,the "bad pantomine" bit referring to how rubbish Johnny Robinson was on X Factor,not saying that pantomines here are crap.
hometownboy
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 06:34 PMI dont see what all the fuss is about as the comment was only made on the X factor after all which is aimed at sad no hopers after their 15 mins of fame and those daft enough to phone in to line the pockets of Simon Cowell . Dont they know thats its all faked...the programme is losing viewers by the 10s of 1000s so a wee bit of controversy can only help to get people watching it again If it had been made on a significant programme like the news then I could see the point of the outrage that this throw away line has caused.
Justice 4 all
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 06:02 PMha ha ha ha! Scarborough Evening News you are so funny...and very predictable. If anyone is genuinely outraged at Gary's comment, seriously get over it. You can always count on the dramatics of the Evening News, he he. Gotta love ya MrRealist is about right, sensationalism that's all.
fifey
Monday, November 7, 2011 at 05:29 PMConcise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press: dis dɪs (also diss) informal, chiefly US ▶verb (disses, dissing, dissed) speak disrespectfully to. ▶noun disrespectful talk.
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