Whether it’s Strictly or the Kaiser Chiefs, the entertainment industry can’t escape talk of vaccines

Divisions over the Covid jab are now causing controversy across the entertainment industry, writes Charlotte Cripps

Former ‘Strictly’ professional dancer James Jordan labelled unvaccinated dancers on the show as ‘selfish’ during an appearance on ‘Good Morning Britain’ (ITV)

What do Strictly Come Dancing, the Emmy Awards and the Kaiser Chiefs have in common? Not much – usually. But since last week, they have all been well and truly embroiled in the vaccine debate.

Reports that a couple of the professional dancers in the new Strictly series – which starts this weekend – have not had the Covid-19 vaccine, led to a heated discussion on Tuesday’s Good Morning Britain.

Former Strictly professional James Jordan labelled the unvaccinated dancers as “selfish” live on air.

“I feel they don’t deserve their place on the show,” he told GMB hosts Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley. “And the celebrities have the right to refuse to dance with them.”

While last Sunday, the Emmy’s ceremony host Cedric The Entertainer mocked Nicki Minaj’s unsubstantiated tweet about her cousin’s friend getting swollen testicles after getting the Covid jab.

“I got vaxxed,” he said. “I did not have a reaction like Nicki Minaj’s cousin’s friend, okay?”

The Kaiser Chiefs, meanwhile – who have now been dubbed “the Pfizer Chiefs” – sparked fury from anti-vaxxers after their appearance at the Isle of Wight Festival last weekend.

Lead singer Ricky Wilson asked the crowd to cheer if they had received one of the vaccines as he called out the various brand names “Pfizer”, “Moderna” and “AstraZeneca”.

Despite loud sounds of booing when Wilson said: “Let’s hear it for the anti-vaxxers”, the singer faced a social media backlash accusing him of “stoking division”.

Whether it’s commendable to speak out in favour of the vaccine or to keep your views to yourself, these are probably not going to be the last culture stories we see on the issue.

Yours,

Charlotte Cripps

Culture writer