TV presenter Holly Willoughby has subtly signaled her support for Dawn French following the comedian’s controversial video about the Israel–Hamas conflict.
French, 67, shared the video on Instagram and X on Thursday, where she appeared to downplay the October 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel.
In the clip, she comments on the situation in the Middle East, saying: “Complicated, no, but nuanced. But [the] bottom line is no.”
She then appears to parody common justifications for Israel’s military response in Gaza after the Hamas-led massacre in 2023, saying: “‘Yeah but you know they did a bad thing to us’...
“Yeah, but no. ‘But we want that land and there’s a lot of history…’. No. ‘These people are not even people, are they really?’ No.”
The video quickly went viral, drawing millions of views and sparking backlash from those who felt French was minimising the atrocities of October 7, when the terrorist group Hamas killed around 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages.
Critics accused her of mocking Israeli grief and justifying terror.
Despite the outrage, others praised French for speaking out, and Willoughby appeared to quietly show her support by liking the post on Instagram.
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Willoughby appeared to quietly show her support by liking the post on Instagram
Meanwhile, public figures, including actress Tracy-Ann Oberman and broadcaster Piers Morgan, were outspoken in their criticism of French’s remarks.
Oberman wrote: “I am so saddened by this post.
“This mocking voice ‘bad thing’ of October 7 that Dawn (who I revere by the way) appears to be mocking involved the most horrific terrorist attack involving rape, sexual violence, burning alive child, mutilation and the taking of civilian hostages.”
She continued: “Why would Dawn seem to deny that which has affected so many of us personally in the most painful way possible.
“I can mourn the horrors of the war in Gaza whilst also remembering the horrors of what started it. Is this how most of our industry feels now – Oct 7 was a ‘little thing’? NO!”
Holly Willoughby has subtly signaled her support for Dawn French
PAMorgan also weighed in, adding: “Oct 7 wasn’t just a ‘bad thing’ as you so mockingly describe it - it was one of the most heinous, despicable terror attacks of modern times.
"It’s perfectly legitimate to criticise the Israeli Govt’s current strategy, but downplaying Oct 7 is a terrible way to do it.”
Following the backlash, and specifically Oberman’s criticism, French posted a clarification, stating she did not intend to dismiss the October 7 attacks.
In a message on social media, she wrote: “I do not say ‘a little thing’. In NO WAY do I support the atrocities of Oct 7th. Of course not. Appalling. Horrific.
“But starving innocent children is not the answer. NO is the answer to ALL of it, Tracy.”
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