Loose Women star Charlene White has explained her decision not to wear a poppy onscreen after receiving horrific “racist” abuse.
The presenter, 45, was branded “disrespectful” for not wearing a poppy when she appeared on the live ITV chat show alongside Oti Mabuse, Judi Love and Kelle Bryan last week.
The pin is usually worn in the weeks before Remembrance Day on November 11 to commemorate the armed forces who have died in conflicts.
The former I’m A Celebrity star defended her choice in an emotional post on Instagram on Monday and also remembered her late father Denniston, who served in the RAF and died by suicide last month.
She explained that she does not wear the poppy - a symbol of the Royal British Legion - on TV because she is the patron of several charities and it would clash with impartiality and broadcasting rules.
Sharing photos of her late father in the RAF, she wrote: “My dad, in uniform during his years in the RAF. An immigrant from Jamaica, who signed up to join the British Armed Services when he was just a teenager.”
White went on: “I post this, as despite the fact I’m barely on the TV at the moment because I’m still grieving his shocking passing (and live TV is difficult for me at the moment) the hate, vitriol and racism aimed at me because of my personal decision not to wear a poppy *on air* has begun again.
“I’ve also posted, for the first time, the support I’ve had from the start from the Royal British Legion when all the abuse first begun back in 2013.
“I support the charity, I donate to its work, I believe in its work, and I wear a Poppy off screen. But I believe in the impartiality rules which exist in broadcasting regarding charities.”
White has previously explained that broadcasting rules mean she isn't visually allowed to support charities while presenting ITV's news programming.
She is affiliated with several charitable organisations she is not allowed to mention onscreen.
Continuing her post, she went on: “You may not agree with me, and I genuinely don’t expect everyone to, but disagreement does not legitimise the abuse.
“It is not what my dad, my uncle, my close friends and millions of others served for.”
The TV host concluded: “And those who instigate and fan the flames of hate and racism, especially when they know full well I’m in the depths of trying navigate the world as a child of parental suicide, should honestly take a moment to think about their actions.”
In her post, she also shared a letter she had received from the Royal British Legion in November 2023 in which the organisation expressed their “full support” for her personal decision not to wear a poppy.
It read: “I was very saddened to hear that you were subjected to the most vile abuse on social media sites following your decision not to wear a poppy on air during this year's Poppy Appeal.
“The poppy is a universal symbol that represents sacrifices made in the defence of freedom; and so the decision to wear it must be a matter of personal choice.
“Millions of our Armed Forces personnel have defended, and given their lives for our right to live in a free and tolerant society. Those who bullied you go against these core values and should be ashamed of their behaviour.
“The Legion understands that people choose to honour those who have given their lives in Service in their own personal and private ways, and only ask that people are respectful of national observances of Remembrance such as the Two Minute Silence. However we would never seek to tell people how and where to remember - to do so would be contrary to everything the poppy stands for.
“I also understand that you are aware of the challenges that can face Armed Forces families, having a father and an uncle who served.”
The letter concluded: “The Royal British Legion fully supports your decision, and I would like to thank you for supporting us during this year's Poppy Appeal.”
White previously revealed she was targeted by a cruel petition titled “sack the s**g” over her decision not to wear a poppy and that an EDL [English Defence League] member sparked a hate campaign.
She told Love Sunday magazine in 2021 that a lot of trolls think she is “fair game” because she is a “Black woman in the public eye”.
“I do get some horrific abuse. But it's the weird dynamic that because it happens so often, I'm very used to it – which I shouldn't have to be. I'm a Black woman in the public eye, so for a lot of people I'm fair game,” she said.
“It all came to a head when a member of the EDL said, ‘I've heard there's a Black girl on ITV that doesn't wear a poppy’ and told his followers to abuse me in any way they could find me.”
She received several thousand comments of abuse along with a campaign calling for her to be fired from ITV.
“As long as [the abuse] doesn't get as bad as that, it's manageable,” she said.
“But that upset me a lot. It takes a lot to make me cry, but it got to a point where it was really overwhelming and really did make me cry. It's never been to that particular level since.”
If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.
