What's New
BY Jen Seyderhelm April 12, 2024
What's New December 13, 2017
Ash London cops vicious social media backlash after Louis Tomlinson interview
Hit Network radio host Ash London copped a brutal backlash from fans of former One Direction star Louis Tomlinson following an interview yesterday.
Diehard Tomlinson fans took issue with the banter-heavy intro before the interview began, in which London was explaining to her fellow hosts Ed Kavalee and Ash Williams just exactly who Tomlinson was.
“Just so we’re clear, because I’m a very visual guy, Ash London — he’s the guy with the smaller face with the short brown hair, yeah?” asked Williams, after which London described him as having “ratty” facial hair.
“He’s not Harry Styles basically,” said Kavalee. “He’s the least popular one.”
What followed was an insightful and supportive interview, but Tomlinson’s diehard fans took object with that introduction and absolutely slammed London and her co-hosts on Twitter.
London copped the brunt of an intense backlash, as she was described as “disrespectful”, “unprofessional” and “vile” among other abusive comments. Death threats, which Radio Today has chosen not to publish, also followed.
Initially switching her Twitter profile to private, London later returned with a public statement in which she said “we love Louis and will continue supporting him and his new music as we have always done.”
— ash london (@ash_london) December 12, 2017
Tomlinson’s response, which included a rude finger emoji, only served to add fire to the flames.
Probs best to stay on private for a bit longer love ! 🖕
— Louis Tomlinson (@Louis_Tomlinson) December 12, 2017
This prompted a second statement from London, in which she addressed a lot of the abuse she’d copped, and explained that much of what was being thrown around online simply wasn’t true.
“I’ll be off socials for a bit,” she went on to say. “The abuse and threats are a little much for me now.
“In future I’ll do what I always do – stick to the music and leave any mentions of facial hair out of it.”
— ash london (@ash_london) December 12, 2017
Would the label be happy with these jokes? Nothing condones death threats and abuse though. Is it me, or does Ash have some similar sounds in her voice and presenting style to Em from the breakfast show. Maybe some mentoring going on.
Louis does video clips in matching track pants and jacket but takes offence to a lighthearted comment on his facial hair being ratty? If it is worth anything, any publicity is good publicity Ash.
One Direction are a core artist of 2Dayfm’s. Besides I’m surprised anyone heard this as they don’t have any listeners according to last gfk ratings.
Seeing this hate storm is a little bewildering and disappointing. All I can say is that every time I have spoken to Ash I have left feeling better about myself.
Eh.
Sounds like a publicity stunt from Ash.
Yes Bruce, orchestrating a trending hashtag with tweets including some of the most vile things you can say about a person is clearly a stunt which is easily executed with the budget and production team allotted to a survey break show
I think he needs to put on his big boy pants. Everything she said was true.. he’s no Harry Styles and he is the least popular and almost didn’t make it in his audition which his fans would know. Facial hair comments = Death threats? I don’t think so.
Ash has built her entire profile off leveraging the fan base off One Direction (and 5 Seconds of Summer as a trickle on effect) – no different than Smallzy. She’s used those fan bases to build her social channels, her radio profile and that’s a big part of why she’s in the position she is now. While I know she’s an incredible person, she was biting the hand that feeds…
Ed didn’t cop the backlash because he hasn’t used that fan base for his own gain. Smallzy would have received the exact same reaction had he made the ‘ratty’ comment.