Gavin & Stacey actor Mathew Horne has apologised after calling for the resignation of BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg.
The morning after last week’s general election (13 December), the actor published a series of tweets, which have since been deleted, in which he referred to Kuenssberg as a “disingenuous plopcarpet” and requested that she resign.
“I really wish I loved myself as much as you, Laura,” Horne tweeted. “I think, although deeply selfish, I’d probably be happier. For a bit. Lucky you.”
Horne then retweeted a message from the political editor in which she said that the “swing in the North of England is pretty consistently [very] big Labour to Tory”, and added: “Let’s see… your ‘journalism’ knows no bounds.
“Resign, you disingenuous plopcarpet.”
Horne has now apologised for his statements.
“I apologise to both @bbclaurak and the BBC for my comments on election night,” he wrote. “I was caught up in the frenzy of the election and realise I used my public platform and passion for politics in an incorrect way. I regret this and we should stand together. Merry Christmas one and all.”
Kuenssberg replied to Horne, saying she accepted his apology and was looking forward to watching the forthcoming Gavin & Stacey Christmas special, which is being broadcast on BBC1 next week.
She added, “no-one wins when we scream and shout rather than talk – maybe Twitter could move on from being bitter in 2020.”
Additional reporting by Press Association.
