Thomas Skinner has reached out to television presenter Narinder Kaur yet again after the broadcaster escalated her dispute with the businessman during an appearance on Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine programme on Tuesday.
The 52-year-old has been a vocal critic of Skinner’s upcoming stint on Strictly Come Dancing, claiming she was rejected for being too “controversial” while citing Skinner’s social media posts as her reasons for calling the BBC “hypocrites”.
Kaur characterised the 34-year-old as disingenuous, declaring: “He’s a fake! He pretends to be this working-class lad.”
The controversy originated when Kaur revealed she had been turned away by Strictly Come Dancing producers for being “too controversial” after approaching them in early 2025. “They said, ‘Well, we like you, but you’re a little too controversial’,” Kaur explained during the Channel 5 broadcast.
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Her frustration intensified following the announcement of Skinner’s casting, particularly given his criminal history and political associations, including his friendship with US Vice President JD Vance.
The businessman had previously hosted the American politician for a barbecue, describing the encounter as a “once in a lifetime” experience.
Skinner’s social media presence, which has attracted over 400,000 followers, features political commentary that has drawn both support and criticism.
Following Kaur’s initial criticism on social media, Skinner attempted to defuse tensions with a public response acknowledging her convictions. And he’s now attempted to do so again, following her latest tirade.
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@narindertweets – I’m so sorry if I’ve upset you, I’m honestly not sure what I’ve done. I really do hope tomorrow is a better day for you. There’ll always be a breakfast waiting down Dino’s café for ya at 4am. And if ya super nice I’ll try and get ya some tickets to watch me…
— Thomas Skinner ⚒ (@iamtomskinner) August 19, 2025
Reacting to a GB News article about Kaur’s outburst on Jeremy Vine, he reached out: “@narindertweets – I’m so sorry if I’ve upset you, I’m honestly not sure what I’ve done.
“I really do hope tomorrow is a better day for you. There’ll always be a breakfast waiting down Dino’s café for ya at 4am.
“And if ya super nice, I’ll try and get ya some tickets to watch me Dance live at Strictly. Bosh,” he sighed off.
Skinner’s gesture towards Kaur in light of such animosity went down a storm with X users. “Nicely said,” one follower wrote in response.
“They’re mad because you’re happy. Stay golden,” a second weighed in while a third praised: “What a proper English gentleman!
And a fourth concurred: “Every time this man responds to @narindertweets’s disgusting opinions or whatever she has to say about him, he always comes across as a kind, decent person. This shows that being ‘brown or white’ is not the issue.
“Being a decent human being is what matters. All the best for your dance performance, @iamtomskinner!”
Even Kaur responded, explaining her stance and taking Skinner up on his offer. “The not telling your fans to not racially abuse me. That bit. Yeah..let’s do breakie or lunch at that Italian in soho!” (sic)
Skinner’s latest olive branch echoes one he previously sent when Kaur first targeted his Strictly appointment.
“Narinder, I respect that you stand up for what you believe in; not everyone’s got the guts to do that,” he wrote last week, adding that his Strictly participation wasn’t meant to create divisions.
The entrepreneur expressed regret for any offence caused, stating: “If I’ve ever upset you, I’m sorry… that’s never been my intention. I wish ya nothing but peace, happiness, and a life you can truly enjoy.”
Kaur remained unmoved by his overture, maintaining her stance that whilst she didn’t object to his criminal history, she believed he promoted divisive rhetoric.
She referenced their past interactions, including her attendance at his book launch, suggesting his supporters could have defended her against online abuse but chose silence instead.
During the Channel 5 discussion, Kaur also accused BBC producers of applying double standards based on race and gender.
“I think the BBC Strictly producers, I’m sorry, you’re hypocrites. You want to put brown and black women in a little box; we can only have safe brown and black women,” she argued.
“But if you’re a white man, you can be whatever you want, have whatever past, and you’ll be allowed to be a contestant.”
Viewer responses to Kaur’s comments were sharply divided, with many criticising her stance on social media platforms.
Despite the controversy, Skinner thanked supporters on Monday for their “overwhelming” messages whilst acknowledging his critics.
