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Stephen Fry has quit Twitter following a backlash over a joke he made at the BAFTAs.
The comedian once again hosted this year’s awards ceremony, but came under fire for branding one of the winners a “bag lady”.
Jenny Beaven accepted the award for Best Costume Designer at the glitzy star-studded event, dressed in a leather jacket, scarf, and trousers.
As she left the stage, Fry joked: “Only one of the great cinematic costume designers would come to the awards ceremony dressed like a bag lady.”
Many Twitter users were unimpressed by the remark, expressing their anger over the comment on the social media site, with some saying it was “misjudged” and “uncalled for”.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Uncool of Stephen Fry to say bafta winning costume designer dressed like a 'bag lady'. I was thinking it was cool she wore what she wanted. — Jo Elvin (@jo_elvin) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jo_elvin/status/698987768886784000" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3180341-https://twitter.com/jo_elvin/status/698987768886784000" data-vars-event-id="c23">February 14, 2016</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Woah <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stephenfry" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3180341-https://twitter.com/stephenfry" data-vars-event-id="c23">@stephenfry</a> that 'Bag Lady' comment was so uncalled for. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EEBAFTAs?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3180341-https://twitter.com/hashtag/EEBAFTAs?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#EEBAFTAs</a> — JAMES GOLEY (@jamesgoley) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jamesgoley/status/698987720006373376" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3180341-https://twitter.com/jamesgoley/status/698987720006373376" data-vars-event-id="c23">February 14, 2016</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bafta2016?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3180341-https://twitter.com/hashtag/bafta2016?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#bafta2016</a> Stephen Fry's "Bag Lady" insult to winner of Costume Design very misjudged. — Caroline Richardson (@richardson_cara) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/richardson_cara/status/698987707264016384" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3180341-https://twitter.com/richardson_cara/status/698987707264016384" data-vars-event-id="c23">February 14, 2016</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cannot believe Stephen Fry said that bag lady thing. How very rude.... <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAFTAs?src=hash" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3180341-https://twitter.com/hashtag/BAFTAs?src=hash" data-vars-event-id="c23">#BAFTAs</a> — Helen (@Helencakefiend) <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Helencakefiend/status/698987683402661889" class="body-link" data-vars-item-name="BL-3180341-https://twitter.com/Helencakefiend/status/698987683402661889" data-vars-event-id="c23">February 14, 2016</a>
Fry later responded to his critics in a series of Tweets, saying:
“So just a word to the tragic figures who think calling Jenny Bevan [sic] a bag lady was an insult. She’s a dear friend and she got it. Derrr”
Jenny Beavan at the BAFTAs 2016Dave Benett“Will all you sanctimonious f****** f*** the f*** off Jenny Beavan is a friend and joshing is legitimate. Christ I want to leave the planet”
He also posted a photo of the himself and Beavan together at the after-party, captioned: “Jenny Baglady Beavan and Stephen Outrageous Misogynist Swine Fry at the #EEBAFTAs after party”.
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Fry has since deleted his Twitter account entirely. It’s not the first time he has chosen to leave the social media site, most recently deleting his account in November 2014.
Fry also quit Instagram in March 2015, saying he was “hounded off” the picture-sharing site.