The broadcaster was concerned the mob mentality of social media combined with a tough interview could prove too much for Roxanne to take
JEREMY Vine admitted he was concerned Celebrity Big Brother star Roxanne Pallett might "take her own life" after their interview yesterday.
The broadcaster addressed complaints that he was too soft on the actress during her public apology for accussing Ryan Thomas of assaulting her, revealing he feared the backlash could prove too much for her.
Speaking on today's Jeremy Vine show, he said: "I’m sitting here thinking, 'she could take her life tomorrow,' and we’ve got all these people carrying pitchforks who probably want her to die, but it’s not pitchfork journalism."
Panellist Jamelia, who was also present during the interview with Roxanne, felt the actress put on an act and never once used the words 'I'm sorry'.
She said: "I found it really difficult being on the show with her, particularly after watching the show. It’s really funny it’s very important in that scenario to be constructive.
"At the time when we were here I thought it could be sincere… then I saw another interview with her yesterday with Emma and she said exactly the same thing, word for word.
"And to me that meant it was a performance, it felt that they were very rehearsed lines and that might make me seem heartless but it reinforced what I thought which is she needs to get help and at no point did she say sorry.
"She said I apologise, but not sorry, and I do think that sorry is different."
The 35-year-old actress was slammed on Twitter during her interview, where she explained why she said that Ryan Thomas had "deliberately" punched her.
However, her grovelling apology didn't wash with viewers, who accused interviewer Jeremy Vine of being "too soft".
One viewer commented: "Watched the Roxanne Pallett apology on #JeremyVine and unfortunately because of her behaviour do not believe a word she says."
As one fan fumed: "Sitting there looking sorry for herself is not an apology, she did it to save her own ass. Jeremy Vine was too soft on her, she needs to be made answer for what she's done. Not hiding behind excuses."
A third person raged on Twitter: "Roxanne is very vindictive, I don't believe she is one bit sorry she could have ruined Ryan's career and even worse so she deserves every thing she now gets."
And another viewer said she doesn't deserve to return to panto at Christmas, writing: "@Cfieldtheatres hope you’ll sack off Roxanne Pallett from your panto now, she doesn’t deserve a pay packet ever again."
Ryan's brother Adam Thomas also raged: "Jeremy vine to scared to speak up too pc pathetic interview !! ... to everyone that knows her and knows the real her and the lies and the stories she has spun for several years it is so frustrating to watch ... good scene tho Rox annnddd cut!!"
Roxanne's former Emmerdale co-star Sammy Winward simply branded her interview "Lies lies lies".
Roxanne told Jeremy: "In that moment - because I am sensitive and emotional - I mistook what was a playful act. He did apologise for it and say his ring caught me.
"It was the word deliberate I regret. I doubted his intention. There was no malicious intention behind that. That's what I apologise for. I shouldn't have questioned his motivation. I got it wrong."
Her accusations that Ryan was a "woman beater" prompted 11,215 complaints to Ofcom.
She was given the option to call the police, but decided not to.
It has also led to 20 of Roxanne's former Emmerdale co-stars to slam her behaviour.
These included Kelvin Fletcher (Andy Sugden) who described the actress as "evil, calculated and manipulative beyond belief".
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