Laura Whitmore, an Irish presenter based in London, has come under fire for a social media post about the British Army.
The 35-year-old posted on her Instagram account about a new podcast series launched by the British Army called The Locker, saying she was “really pleased” to share the first episode in which she spoke to a female soldier about working in a male-dominated industry.
Shortly afterwards, the presenter posted a Twitter tribute to Northern Irish politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume, whose funeral took place today.
Ms Whitmore quickly came under fire on social media, with posters accusing the presenter of “recruiting for the British army” and criticising her “ignorance and insensitivity”.
The period of conflict known at The Troubles in Northern Ireland saw the British Army, along with both republican and loyalist paramilitaries, involved in acts of violence against civilians and each other. This included killings.
Mr Hume was a central figure in bringing peace to the area and the juxtaposition of Ms Whitmore’s social media posts has been described as “tone deaf”.
Ms Whitmore responded to the online backlash, saying “if this looked like me trying to recruit people to the army that is not the case at all”.
She said her guest appearance on the podcast focused on gender equality issues, which she has spoken about in the past.
“This is not about ignoring the history books. This is about progress and equality – something Hume promoted,” she added.
