Yahoo News Rylan and Rob Rinder open up on shock homophobic slur in new BBC show
The TV pals were targeted by cruel insults when they joined a group of drag queens in the BBC travel series - but got some surprising support.
Watch Rylan and Rob Rinder open up on shock homophobic slur in new BBC show
What did you miss?
Rylan and Rob Rinder have opened up on the shocking homophobic insult that was shouted at them during filming for their new TV series.
The close friends feature in BBC travel series Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour, which sees them follow in the footsteps of the classic grand tour of Italy taking in art treasures. But in an episode where they visited Venice and spent time with a group of drag queens, viewers saw the TV stars and the group they were with targeted by a derogatory insult.
Speaking on This Morning, Rylan and Rinder shared their disgust at being insulted by a passerby, as well as their surprise at the support they received from an unexpected source. The TV stars joined a group of drag queens in Venice to see part of the city and dressed up themselves, with Rylan saying of Rinder's outfit: "It was giving Wendy Richards."
What, how, and why?
Looking back on a sobering moment when they were insulted by a young man who saw them, Rylan said: "That collective, they'd never been out in Venice dressed up. For the first time, they'd been together a year, they said we're going out in public.
"We had a guy shout out something really homophobic and derogatory - a young guy. I was held back by production, the Stepney Green nearly come out in me."
Lawyer Rinder added: "I would have defended him and been a good witness," as Rylan joked: "I would have been in court but I've got the best in the land."
Rylan continued: "As we walk along there's this group of 90-year-old nonnas and they all stood up and clapped us, and I'm like that's what this experience is about. What we're sometimes frightened of - we always think it might be the older generation looking down - it wasn't for them, it was the absolute opposite. There's still a lot of movement to be done in Italy."
Rinder agreed: "They stood round us like a praetorian guard and that's another lesson - don't judge somebody until you have the opportunity and the gift of meeting them."
What else happened on This Morning?
The celebrity friends also admitted that they had not been keen on the idea for the programme to begin with, after recent Italian-set series from stars including Alan Carr and Amanda Holden, and Strictly's Giovanni Pernice and Anton Du Beke.
Rylan said: "The first thing I said was we're not going to be another two celebs doing a travelogue in Italy. I don't want to do that, like everyone's doing one.
"Then they said it was being commissioned by BBC Arts. My mum was like get the hat for the MBE ready."
He also told how their friendship had developed from spending so much time together, adding: "We started this process as mates and we finished it as actual genuine friends."
This Morning airs on ITV1 at 10am on weekdays.
Read more: Rylan
Rylan Clark flooded with support from fans as he says he's a 'new man' after Rob Rinder rumours (Manchester Evening News, 3 min read)
Rylan Clark using fake name to release music (Cover Media, 2 min read)
Rylan says 'we never expected this' after fans respond to new television series (Wales Online, 2 min read)
