Amanda Holden has been met with a backlash after she paid tribute to the late Paul O'Grady on Heart Radio.
The radio presenter, 52, has been among those who have paid tribute to Paul following the news that he had died, aged 67, "unexpectedly but peacefully" earlier this week.
She spoke about the late entertainer - whom she had appeared alongside on a special episode of For the Love of Dogs last year - on Heart Breakfast yesterday.
Discussing his death, she said to her co-host Jamie Theakston, 52, that she was "completely shocked". She went on to share her thoughts about Paul.
She commented on the show: "Do you know what I loved about him? He was not woke in any way. He had massive opinions on everything, which I love people like that."
Amanda - who's an ambassador for animal charity Battersea, like Paul was - added: "Really really funny, very witty. Everything that came out of his mouth was brilliant".
Some listeners have taken issue with her comment. They have questioned whether she knows the meaning of the term 'woke' and whether she knew much about Paul's life.
The Collins Dictionary describes 'woke' as someone who is "very aware of social and political unfairness". Fans have said Paul had spoke out in support of various causes.
Reacting to the comment made about him, one person tweeted recently: "Either [Amanda] has no idea what 'woke' means, or she has no idea who Paul O'Grady was".
Another said: "'He didn't have a woke bone in his body'. That would be the drag artist, AIDS campaigner, LGBTQ+ hero and anti austerity critic Paul O'Grady."
A third tweeted: "The man was a queer activist, trailblazer and unapologetic drag queen on prime time TV when being gay was seen as dirty. What about that isn't woke?"
Another said on social media earlier this week: "[Paul] was woke before woke was woke." Whilst a fifth tweeted: "[He] was the epitome of woke. Btw it's a good thing".
Others however have come to her defence. One said: "I think she means he wasn't afraid to offend. Which is fair enough". Another said: "She knew him better than any of us ever did".
And others suggested her definition may relate to 'political correctness'. One person said that Amanda had "exposed the difference between being woke, which [Paul] clearly was, and being politically correct, which [he] wasn't."
Paul had suggested that his life was 'woke' during an interview a few years ago.
He told the Sun in 2020: "I'm married to a ballet dancer, I've got a daughter, two grandkids and was married to a Portuguese lesbian barmaid. It doesn't get much more woke."
However, the following year, when asked if he thought society had "become too 'woke'," he told the Independent : "We've become nit-pickers. [...] If somebody puts a foot wrong, they are leapt on. You are not allowed to have an opinion."
It was announced yesterday, in a statement shared by his husband Andre Portasio, that Paul had died on Tuesday evening. The news prompted an outpouring of tributes.
Amanda had also paid tribute on Instagram. She wrote: "Woken up to this sad, sad news. I loved Paul. He was brilliantly opinionated, searingly sharp and very funny."
The presenter further commented alongside a photo of herself alongside Paul: "I loved our conversations. I can't quite believe it. Thoughts with Andre and their family".
