Nolanslams social media trolls after on-air clash
Presenter claims anonymous critics ‘have nothing else in their sad lives’
BBC broadcaster Stephen Nolan has taken a fresh swipe at people who criticise him on social media, branding them trolls who have “nothing else in their life”.
The outburst came during his show on Radio Ulster yesterday.
Amid a discussion in the wake of loyalist rioting in Carrickfergus on Monday evening, one caller referenced abuse directed towards Nolan on social media, leading the presenter to speak
out. He has previously hit out at “anonymous dark forces” that instigate abuse towards him and others over social media.
He has also criticised “anonymous made-up” figures behind a petition calling for his show to be cancelled. That petition has attracted 15,500 signatures.
Speaking yesterday, Nolan said he had received “grief on Facebook and Twitter for years”.
“Here’s the score, there is some very legitimate criticism on Facebook and Twitter of me and they are real people,” he said.
“Then you have got some little sad keyboard trolls who seem to have nothing else in their life other than to talk about me and I just feel sorry that their lives are so empty.”
The remarks came after he had clashed with a listener on the show, disputing how many times TUV leader Jim Allister had been invited on for interview.
The listener, called Tim, claimed Mr Allister appeared on the show “two or three” times a week, and that the show was pushing a “hard-right agenda”. Nolan reacted angrily.
“I am going to stop this call because I find that accusation outrageous,” he said.
“I am a journalist in this country trying my very best.
“And my reputation as an impartial journalist, I will do everything I can to protect it and I find your comment outrageous.”
Meanwhile, a Sinn Fein politician said he had reported an online threat against his life to the PSNI.
Newry and Armagh MLA Cathal Boylan said: “I am calling on unionist leaders to stand against this threat to my life, de-escalate the situation and bring the campaign of madness and destruction of the last numbers of days to an end.”