'Mortified' Matt Lucas apologises to Millie Bobby Brown after actress hits back at 'bullying' comments
Matt Lucas has publicly apologised to Millie Bobby Brown after the actress called him out by name in a powerful video addressing the "bullying" she faces as a woman in the public sphere.
In a statement addressed to Brown, Lucas clarified his previous comments, which Brown labelled an "insult" and questioned "why a grown man is mocking a young woman's appearance" in her own message.
"Dear Millie, I just saw your post and wanted to respond, and provide some context," Lucas, 50, wrote to his 399,000 Instagram followers.
Watch the video above.
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Matt Lucas has apologised to actress Millie Bobby Brown after comparing her to a Little Britain character. Getty
Lucas had compared her to Vicky Pollard from his series Little Britain.
"Nearly 25 years ago, I co-wrote and appeared in a sketch show called Little Britain," he explained.
"There was a character in it called Vicky Pollard, who had blonde hair and always wore a pink top, and in the photo you had blonde hair and wore a pink top so I pointed out the similarity by posting one of her catchphrases.
Lucas continued: "I thought you looked terrific and I was mortified when the press wrote that I 'slammed' you, firstly because that's not my style, and secondly because I think you're brilliant."
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Brown hit back at the criticism she has faced from journalists, trolls and fellow celebrities in a powerful video. milliebobbybrown/instagram
"I would not have posted it if I had thought it would have upset you but I realise it has and for that I apologise. Matt x," the post concluded.
The comedian's post came after Brown, 21, called him out by name in a video shared to her 63.3 million Instagram followers.
"'Little Britain's Matt Lucas takes savage swipe at Millie Bobby Brown's new 'mommy makeover' look' – written by Bethan Edwards, amplifying an insult rather than questioning why a grown man is mocking a young woman's appearance. This isn't journalism. This is bullying," she wrote and read out in a video message on Tuesday.
"The fact that adult writers are spending their time dissecting my face, my body, my choices, it's disturbing," the actress, who rose to fame as a child star on Stranger Things, continued.
"The fact that some of these articles are written by women? Makes it even worse."
Brown added: "Disillusioned people can't handle seeing a girl become a woman on her terms, not their own."
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"I refuse to apologise for growing up. I refuse to make myself smaller to fit the unrealistic expectations of people who can't handle seeing a girl become a woman," she said.
"I will not be shamed for how I look, how I dress, or how I present myself. We have become a society where it's so much easier to criticise than it is to pay a compliment."
The star told critics to "do better... for every young girl who deserves to grow up without fear of being torn apart for simply existing."
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