Sue Perkins has said she is taking a break from Twitter because she received threats after speculation she might replace Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear.
The Great British Bake Off presenter – who also hosts an ITV chatshow with co-star Mel Giedroyc – tweeted on Tuesday to say that she was “off Twitter for a bit”.
She said she had received comments from “blokes wishing me dead”, including one who “suggested they’d like to see me burn to death”.
Guys, post the utterly fabricated story about me & Top Gear, my timeline has been full of blokes wishing me dead...
— Sue Perkins (@sueperkins) April 14, 2015
This morning, someone suggested they'd like to see me burn to death.
— Sue Perkins (@sueperkins) April 14, 2015
All of which goes to say that I am off Twitter for a bit. Love and peace x
— Sue Perkins (@sueperkins) April 14, 2015
Scores of fans tweeted messages of support for the presenter, including BBC Radio 1 presenter Fearne Cotton.
@sueperkins there are some awful and sad humans out there. How pathetic. ps you absolutely rock!
— fearne cotton (@Fearnecotton) April 14, 2015
@sueperkins complete idiots think they can say what they like, glad we're not all the same ! be strong xx
— _Ds73_ (@darkeststar73) April 14, 2015
@sueperkins no don't, there's a million more people that love & respect you over these malicious sick people They're an irrelevant minority!
— KD (@KayliDawnnn) April 14, 2015
Perkins tweeted last Thursday, when she was filming in India, that she was facing abuse from “middle-aged man-trolls”.
Just back from night shoot in Kolkata sewers to find my timeline busy with middle-aged man-trolls. General gist: Man do cars, woman do cake
— Sue Perkins (@sueperkins) April 9, 2015
Perkins was tipped on Friday as favourite to take over Clarkson’s role, but her odds have slipped, with Dermot O’Leary currently in the lead, followed by Philip Glenister and Jodie Kidd, according to Ladbrokes.
Perkins appeared to rule out joining Top Gear on Saturday when she tweeted in response to a (now-deleted) question from a fan:
@RichardAddy well.... A. It is obviously IS against me and B. I am not So rest assured!
— Sue Perkins (@sueperkins) April 9, 2015
