Take That’s Howard Donald, who was due to perform as a solo artist at Groovebox Nottingham Pride Festival in July, has been dropped from the festival line-up. The move came on Saturday (June 17) when Donald apologized for “liking social media posts derogatory towards the LGBTQIA+ community.”
“In light of recent events, Howard Donald will no longer be playing at our Nottingham Pride Festival on Saturday 29 July at Binks Yard. We would like to thank the public for bringing the situation to our attention this morning and also appreciate your patience while we spoke to the relevant parties,” Groovebox wrote in a statement released Saturday, after addressing festival-goers had shared earlier in the day that the organization was dealing with an “evolving situation in relation to an artist from our Nottingham Pride squad”.
“I made a huge mistake in my assessment when I liked social media posts that were derogatory towards the LGBTQIA+ community and I am deeply sorry for that and I know I let everyone down,” Donald wrote on Saturday (June 17) in an Instagram story ).
Donald added: “I’m really disappointed in myself and I’m sorry for the damage I’ve caused by my uneducated actions. I clearly have a lot to learn and doing so is a priority for me.”
Donald’s Twitter account has been taken down as of press time, but screenshots of transphobic and homophobic tweets he allegedly liked have been shared to other media outlets and social media.
Nottingham Pride are working on confirming a replacement headliner to take Donald’s place. Horse Meat Disco, Tayce, Danny Beard and ESSEL remain in the event’s lineup.
Take That currently consists of Donald, as well as Gary Barlow and Mark Owen, although Jason Orange and Robbie Williams originally completed the group. The English boy band took the UK and the rest of Europe by storm, but only had one hit in the US, in 1995 with “Back for Good”, which reached #7 on the Hot 100 Songs chart.
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