Sam Fender has issued an apology for a photo he posted with Johnny Depp this week, amid the actor’s defamation trial win against his ex-wife Amber Heard.
On Wednesday, the English singer posted a photo of himself having a pint with Johnny, 58, and Jeff Beck, 77, at a pub in Newcastle.
The 28-year-old had captioned the photo: “Some serious heroes.”
Sam shared the photo around the same time the verdict of Johnny’s defamation trial against his ex Amber Heard was announced in the US.
Following a six-week long trial in Virginia, which detailed serious allegations of abuse on both sides, the jury found Amber guilty of defaming her ex-husband in a 2018 op-ed for the Washington Post.
The Seventeen Going Under singer faced backlash online from fans who didn’t agree with the verdict of the trial, and swiftly deleted the post from his Instagram Story.
In response to the backlash, Sam posted a public apology on Saturday, saying: “I want to apologise. I was invited to briefly meet a musical legend and an actor who has been in almost every film I’ve watched growing up.”
“I went – we chatted music and without thinking I took a photo and posted it as it was pretty surreal.”
“Using the word ‘heroes’ was meant in reference to their careers, but in the context of the trial was severely misinformed,” he continued.
“I now realise that it was a poor choice of words and timing, but that’s irrelevant.”
“It was naive and disrespectful to those who relate to any of the issues highlighted in the trial and the broader issues it poses.”
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Sam admitted, “I didn’t think it through and I should have.”
“I can’t really say anything other than it was ill judged and I was ignorant with regards to the trials as a whole, and thoughtless on what my post could imply.”
“I realise this entirely, and for that I’m deeply sorry,” he added.
