Jess Glynne apologises to trans community after using slur on Mo Gilligan’s podcast

Jess Glynne has apologised for using a transphobic slur during a recent podcast appearance following criticism from members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The Hold My Hand singer, who has featured on seven UK number one singles, told Mo Gilligan on his podcast she had visited a "t****y strip club" where "men wore wigs" as the comedian laughed along.

The podcast has since been deleted off Spotify but the quotes were circulated on social media attracting criticism and calls for Jess Glynne songs to be blacklisted from LGBTQ+ nightclubs.

In a statement posted on Instagram today, the 31-year-old singer said: "I want to address my appearance on the @mothecomedian podcast, when a story I told caused massive and righteous offence.

"Firstly, I want to say that I am wholeheartedly sorry.

"I know that in this case, sorry is not nearly enough, throughout my life I have made a lot of mistakes and what I have come to know is that the only benefit to making one is to learn from it."

Glynne added her "own ignorance" had "negatively impacted" the LGBTQ+ community and "ripped out a piece of my heart".

She said she wanted to address the "mistake head on and educate myself about an issue I was frankly ignorant of".

She continued: "The language that I used on the podcast was unacceptable, as someone that has always been immersed in the LGBTQ+ community, I have witnessed first hand the progress that has been made when it comes to language, I am ashamed that I was unaware of the potency of the T-slur until now."

Organisers of London Trans Pride said that while the star "still has a lot of work to do", her apology is a "step in the right direction".

Their statement said: "Jess has a global reach and it is important that people see her apology and admitting that what she said was not OK, this interaction will teach them something valuable about how to treat us."

Danielle St James, a model and leader at Trans charity Not a Phase, was drafted in to educate Glynne about her comments.

She later posted: “Part of life and growth is f***ing up, none of our hands are clean and if we were filmed regularly, I'm sure there would be a lot more evidence of said fuck ups. Jess Glynne f***ed up, no one is arguing about that, she came to me for help and I helped like I would anyone.

“I had my pitchfork out too, I promise you I did. But when I spoke to her this morning, I felt her sincerity in her words, she took on what I said and wrote the apology/statement.

“She is going to do the work, I promise you that I will hold her accountable to that.”

Jess Glynne had previously apologised after accused Mayfair restaurant Sexy Fish of “discrimination” after they allegedly turned her away for wearing a hoodie.

The singer said that she and a friend were refused entry to the upmarket Asian restaurant in Berkeley Square after staff made “a decision based on [their] appearance.”

Sexy Fish’s dress code requests that customers do not wear sportswear.

Glynne later admitted that she “used the wrong word” in her social media post describing the incident.

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