Jamie Laing has weighed in on the moment Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage at the Oscars.
Talking to former Made In Chelsea co-star Alex Mytton in his Private Parts podcast, the television personality, 33, said on Wednesday he thinks the slap has "got to be fake" and couldn't believe it as he watched the heated exchange unfold on Sunday night.
Will, 53, shocked the Hollywood audience at the 94th Academy Awards when he got up from his seat and slapped Chris, 57, across the face over a joke he made about his wife Jada's hair loss.
Giving his take on the situation, Jamie said: "I think it's got to be fake. You were like "is this real or is not?" Chris Rock doesn't cover his face and takes the hit. It's mad."
Jamie went on to talk about the words Denzel Washington said to Will, moments after the incident.
During Will's acceptance speech for Best Actor for his role in King Richard, he said: "What I loved was, Denzel [Washington] said to me a few moments ago, he said, 'At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you'."
Jamie said: "I think it means when you feel invincible, that's when you're most vulnerable."
Meanwhile, Alex, 30, disagreed with Jamie over speculation the slap was staged.
He said: "It's so weird. I think it must be real. If it was a set up, I don't think I would be up for it if I was Will Smith. The joke is a bit of a low blow, I'm not going to lie.
"It's hard, I mean if that red mist comes over you then sometimes you can't stop. He's standing up for his wife which you've got to respect."
Of Will laughing at first, Alex went on: "The joke's quite niche. I didn't immediately get it, and I reckon Will Smith didn't either so he's laughing and then suddenly five seconds later thinks "hold on a second, I'm going to have to punch this guy.
"He's got quite big balls to do that on stage, do you know what I mean, in front of the world essentially? I reckon she must be loving him after that."
The actor shocked Hollywood at the 94th Academy Awards when he got up on stage and slapped Chris across the face over a joke he made about his wife Jada's hair loss.
Chris told Jada, who suffers from alopecia, he was excited to see her in GI Jane, referencing how Demi Moore famously shaved her head for the role.
The comedian, 57, insisted his joke had been a "nice one", but Will, 53, was clearly angry and headed to the stage before slapping a stunned Chris.
Some praised him for his actions, saying he was right to defend his wife's honour, while others said he should not have resorted to violence, and some even called for his award to be taken away from him.
Just moments after the slap, he was back on stage to collect the Best Actor gong for his role in King Richard, and he apologised to the Academy and his fellow nominees.
He's since issued a public apology to Chris, saying: "Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable.
"Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally.
"I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."
He added: "I would also like to apologize to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world.
"I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behaviour has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us.
"I am a work in progress. Sincerely, Will."
