EastEnders actor Danny Walters used homophobic slurs in historic tweets
AS hunky Keanu Taylor he’s charmed his way out of many tricky situations.
But EastEnders star Danny Walters needed to do more than flex his muscles to put right anti-gay slurs uncovered on social media.
The actor has apologised over the “immature” tweets to friends from before he joined the BBC soap. In one conversation, Danny says to a pal: “Also you owe me £5 f****t!”
Another post sees him reply “you little f**” to a mate after inviting him to football.
Both tweets were sent in 2012 when Danny was 19 — before he started filming his breakthrough role as Tiger Dyke in ITV’s Benidorm.
Danny said last night: “I am very sorry for posting these immature comments to a friend when I was 19-years-old.
"It’s not language I would ever use now and I’d like to apologise to anyone I’ve offended.”
A friend added: “Danny is feeling absolutely mortified that something he posted when he was younger has come back to bite him.
"He doesn’t have a bad bone in him.”
Danny deleted the tweet containing “f****t” after being contacted for comment.
The revelation comes a week after Emmerdale actress Shila Iqbal, who played Aiesha Richards, was fired over 2013 tweets containing the N-word and using “gay” as an insult, also sent when she was 19.
Danny, who is straight and has been dating girlfriend Lily Smith for five years, first appeared on EastEnders in June 2017.
He bagged a National Television Award for Best Newcomer the following year.
He has acquired a sizeable LGBT fanbase and twice posed on the cover of Gay Times magazine in skimpy pants.
Must watch
WHAT? Cruising With Jane McDonald, Channel 5, 9pm.
WHY? Jane brings more holiday camp than Butlin’s as her series returns. Of a cabin’s carpet, she says: “I love a proper shag pile”. Classic Jane.
Ray of Pope for Steven
STEPHEN K AMOS is used to cracking jokes but it’s tears that are flowing on tonight’s Pilgrimage: The Road To Rome.
The gay comedian gets emotional on the BBC2 documentary when he tells Pope Benedict that he does not feel accepted by the Catholic Church because of its attitudes towards homosexuality.
Pope Benedict replies: “There are people that prefer to select or discard people because of the adjective. These people don’t have a human heart.”
It’s heartening to see such a respected figure stick up for LGBT rights.
Soapbox
IN Coronation Street, Gemma and Chesney’s holiday goes from bad to worse . . . to over entirely.
He makes it clear he doesn’t trust her to look after Joseph and she storms off to the pub.
Later, Gemma returns to an empty campsite after Chesney realises she has been on the sauce.
Elsewhere, Beth urges Sinead to hold a christening on behalf of the family.
Meanwhile, in Eastenders, Louise is once again rejected by Keanu, who has been tasked by her dad Phil to keep her safe.
But Bex adds to Louise’s misery when she calls her self-obsessed during an argument.
Later, Keanu spots Louise with gangster Midge and knows she is in trouble.
Sara's taking walkies
SARA COX regularly brings her dogs to work at BBC Radio 2 but she couldn’t have known what havoc they would cause at her new gig on ITV.
Her Maltese puppies Beno and Dolly have been causing carnage backstage on her self-titled Saturday and Sunday morning talk show.
A source said: “They’ve been real tearaways, both of them.
"They have been weeing on set, they keep interrupting performances from musicians and they bark whenever someone talks into Sara’s in-ear monitor.”
Our source joked: “Producers are considering getting them their own trailer.”
Speaking about her pets in a recent interview, Sara said: “I don’t really trust people who don’t like dogs.
"We always had dogs on the farm I grew up on near Bolton.”
It sounds as if her two are upstaging the guests.
Bizbit
TOWIE’s Pete Wicks has been a shoulder to cry on for Chloe Sims after Dan Edgar’s cheating.
Speaking as part of Hotel.com’s latest holiday campaign, he said:
“She’ll bounce back like she always does. She’s amazing.”
Ash gets flirty again
ASHLEY BANJO is back on the hunt for singletons ready to dance their way to dating happiness with some more Flirty Dancing.
Viewers loved the Diversity choreographer’s show – and Channel 4 bosses have signed him up for another series.
The format involves Ashley teaching two singletons the same dance routine to see if passion is ignited when they meet on the dance floor.
Ashley said: “I loved working with our singles last year, creating something special for each of them and watching the sparks fly.
“The show provides an incredibly unique experience for people to meet through dance.
"It is so rewarding, as well as nerve-racking, to watch it all play out.”
Flirty Dancing, which returns later this year, will start with a Celebrity Stand Up 2 Cancer special – and at the earlier time of 8pm.
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