JK Rowling has slammed The Express and its owner Richard Desmond for criticising the BBC's decision to film Songs of Praise in a Calais migrant camp.
The Harry Potter author reacted after the newspaper blasted the BBC for filming the religious programme outside of a make-shift church in a migrant camp in Calais, which it described as a “lawless migrant ghetto”, with the headline: “This is how the BBC is spending your money”.
The article also included a comment from Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who claimed the decision to film there was an “overtly political” one and an attempt by the BBC to influence the divisive debate surrounding the migrant crisis.
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Rowling, who often uses her Twitter feed as a platform for addressing social issues, dismissed the cover story as: “newspaper owned by man who got rich peddling pornography condemns the BBC for filming migrants singing hymns”.
Newspaper owned by man who got rich peddling pornography condemns the BBC for filming migrants singing hymns. pic.twitter.com/SajRjwJ9EB
; J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 11, 2015
Desmond, who bought the newspaper in 2000, amassed his fortune in the adult publishing industry, owning titles including Asian Babes and Reader's Wives. He currently owns the Television X and Red Hot adult channels. However, Desmond has spoken out against his porn baron reputation and insisted such a label is inaccurate.
A spokesperson for Desmond declined to comment on Rowling's tweet, but told The Independent they would be happy to forward a copy of Desmond's recently published autobiography to "help her to see the extent of Northern & Shell's business being a broad based media company".
