A performance by right wing commentator Katie Hopkins has triggered a political and cultural row on the Isle of Man, raising questions about free speech, public values and how government‑owned venues decide which events to host.
Hopkins, who first entered the public eye as a contestant on the BBC’s The Apprentice in 2007, performed her show Free Range at the Gaiety Theatre on Thursday night.
The issue began after Bradley Chambers, who holds a community position as poet and storyteller known as the Manx Bard, described Hopkins as “a vile individual who deliberately sets out to incite hatred and discrimination”.
The former LBC presenter responded by saying attendance at such venues was voluntary, and wrote a derogatory “ode to the tragic bard” on Facebook, using explicit language.
Speaking on Manx Radio, Chambers said Hopkins’ appearance at the venue was “inappropriate” at a publicly-funded cultural space.
The incident has intensified debate about whether publicly-funded venues should host performers whose rhetoric can be inflammatory.