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Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s fiance Andre Gray slammed over offensive tweets as he defends Little Mix star in colourism row


Andre Gray defended his fiancee Leigh-Anne Pinnock against the criticism (Picture: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s fiance Andre Gray has been forced to address his past offensive tweets as he waded into a heated colourism row. 

The Watford footballer attempted to defend his Little Mix singer fiancee as she was criticised over her upcoming BBC documentary titled Leigh-Anne: Colourism and Race. 

It was sparked by the controversy involving Rochelle Humes, who was wrongfully accused of ‘replacing’ author Candice Braithwaite as presenter of an upcoming Channel 4 documentary about Black women and their higher mortality rate during childbirth compared to white women. 

As the debate mounted over whether Leigh-Anne is the right person to present a discussion about colourism when she herself is a mixed race light skin woman, her fiance Andre stepped in to defend her. 

However, one Twitter user reposted a tweet which Andre wrote in 2012 and said: ‘Black girls with red lip stick is like burnt toast with jam on it #leaaaaveityeahhhhh.’ 

‘This you?’ the woman asked. 

Another old tweet read: ‘Is it me or are there gays everywhere? #Burn #Die #Makesmesick.’ 

Andre responded: ‘Yes that was me! Never hid from it, i was part of the problem of this whole issue but this is not the argument, its [sic] about people tryna bring my fiancé into s**t for sharing her experience on race and using her platform.’ 

Andre Gray tweets

Andre admitted he was ‘part of the problem’ but is a changed person (Picture: @andregray, Twitter)

The Twitter user then replied: ‘Also, that tweet is an example of colourism. Many are confused why Leigh-Anne is leading a conversation on colourism when you, her fiancé, have tweeted colourist things and never really apologised to black women. Will she address this in the documentary?’ 

However, Andre stated: ‘She is leading a conversation because she has the platform to do it, or maybe a black women in a similar position as her didnt [sic] want to do it who knows? I have apologised, and yes it is addressed in the documentary among alot [sic] of other things.’ 

Another critic waded into the row and said they couldn’t find examples of Andre’s apologies, to which he insisted: ‘Ive done alot of interviews on it [sic],’ adding that he ‘don’t need no PR for nothing’. 

Andre promises Leigh-Anne’s documentary will be beneficial to the colourism conversation (Picture: WireImage)

Andre, 29, went on to explain that he lacked ‘education’ when he sent those tweets and was ‘ignorant’. 

‘Lets have the conversation cause i aint hiding away and never have from what ive said [sic],’ he said. 

When one fan asked if he now understood his privilege as a mixed race and light skin man, Andre replied: ‘Yes i understand of course, and so does leigh anne! Again, i educated myself because i wasnt educated on any matter of race growing up and didnt feel how darker skinned people would of felt because i had that light skinned privilege so its not ironic, i grew up and learnt [sic].

‘I was 100% part of the problem, you need to see the documentary first before passing judgement tho.’ 

In 2016, Andre issued an apology for his offensive comments and said in a statement: ‘First I want to offer a sincere and unreserved apology to anybody I may have offended in relation to these tweets. 

Rochelle Humes also found herself at the centre of a race debate (Picture: Getty Images)

‘The tweets were posted four years ago when I was a completely different person to the man I am now.’ 

He added: ‘I can assure everybody that I am absolutely not homophobic, and as said previously I can only apologise and ask for forgiveness to anyone I offended. Thankfully I am not the guy I was back then and will continue to work hard both on and off the pitch to become a better person.’ 

Andre, who played for Burnley at the time, was charged by the Football Association in relation to the tweets and fined £25,000 while also being banned from four matches. 

Leigh-Anne’s sister Sairah Pinnock also defended the pop star against the online criticism and highlighted her sibling’s work away from the spotlight. 

‘Don’t ever question my sisters intentions because she’s out here doing a lot for the black community, more than most,’ she said. 

Sairah added: ‘“Light skinned Leigh-Anne”has chosen to use her platform to showcase the depths of colorism and has always identified that her experiences are minor compared to those of darker women.Rather than say nothing she chose to portray this in her documentary.’ 

An air-date for Leigh-Anne’s documentary is yet to be announced but is expected this month.

Metro.co.uk reached out to Watford FC who declined to comment as well as Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s reps.

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MORE : Rochelle Humes ‘didn’t replace Candice Braithwaite’ in Black women childbirth documentary, Channel 4 states


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