Jake Quickenden hits back at trolls who called his four-week-old baby 'ugly'

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Jake Quickenden has hit back at vile trolls who said his four-week-old son Leo was "ugly as f***" and "needs Botox".

The former X Factor contestant said the people who have targeted his son "seriously need to seek help" and explained that he has accepted facing some abuse himself, but that commenting on a child's appearance is a step too far.

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The 32-year-old explained to his 870,000 Instagram followers that the last week has seen trolls direct abuse at Leo and tell him to "stay off social media if you don't want to be trolled".

Quickenden added: "It’s so baffling to me that I should have to stay off social media if I don’t want my four week old trolled.

"I don’t mind people giving me s***, as sad as it is I’ve had to get used to being called 'irrelevant', 'ugly', 'attention-seeking' and the list goes on, but to troll a innocent child is so wrong and the people doing it seriously need to seek help.

"Also why should I stay off social media if I don’t want him trolled? The thought process of some people is shocking, maybe people just shouldn’t troll.

"I enjoy social media it’s full of lovely people who are supportive and I like sharing my ups and downs.

"I try and be real as possible, but unfortunately there is a dark side of social media and something needs doing about it."

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Quickenden has commented on social media trolling before, taking a break from various platforms in 2020 after receiving a constant stream of abuse.

He wrote: "I say it doesn’t bother me but sometimes it does. I start doubting myself and I’m just doing what anyone does — trying to work to earn a living."

Quickenden has received multiple messages of support from famous friends after calling out the trolls targeting his son.

Diversity dancer Jordan Banjo commented: "We can be as polite as we want but sometimes people get comfortable because there’s a screen there. One day they’ll do it to the wrong person, what goes around comes around."

Former Geordie Shore star Chantelle Connelly wrote: "Your little boy is BEAUTUFUL!"

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Quickenden shot to fame in 2014 after progressing through to the X Factor live shows, two years after he was previously eliminated during the Judges' Houses stage.

He subsequently took part in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here and won the 2018 series of Dancing On Ice.

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