Wild Youth have responded after JK Rowling defended their former creative director Ian Banham on social media.
The Irish band, who are representing Ireland in the Eurovision Song Contest next month, “cut all ties” with Ian earlier this week after a series of controversial tweets he posted came to light.
JK Rowling later weighed in on the situation, using the hashtag #IStandWithIanBanham as she claimed the “so-called kindness and inclusivity of @bandwildyouth is preening, self-satisfied misogyny”.
For those confused as to why Ian Banham was fired and publicly lambasted by @bandwildyouth, here’s one of his ‘horrifying’ tweets. His crime is standing against the insanity of pretending knife-wielding rapists are women if they say they are. pic.twitter.com/tknScvYPyv
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 26, 2023
Wild Youth spoke exclusively to Goss.ie amid the drama, and were asked if they have anything more they would like to say on the situation.
Lead singer Conor O Donohue said: “Not really. I think we could spend our whole day talking about [the situation] but we’re doing the Eurovision. It’s been like from before the Eurosong this has all been happening.”
“We’ve wanted to do this for years, we’ve wanted to represent our country and I think all the focus should be on that. Hopefully the country will get behind us in supporting the song and in Eurovision.”
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It comes just one day after the band wrote in a statement shared to Twitter: “Wild Youth is a band that stands for unity and kindness. Our song represents our beliefs as a band.”
“We have cut all ties with Ian Banham and will not have him on or near our team or Eurovision journey. We are so sorry for anyone offended by his comments ❤️.”
The band’s lead singer Conor O Donohoe also released a separate statement to apologise to “anyone who has been hurt or even had to read such horrible tweets”.
“He goes against everything I stand for, his tweets make me feel sick reading them. Writing this song and writing these lyrics was writing about what I believe in,” he wrote.
Wild Youth is a band that stands for unity and kindness. Our song represents our beliefs as a band. We have cut all ties with Ian Banham and will not have him on or near our team or Eurovison journey. We are so sorry for anyone offended by his comments. ❤️
— Wild Youth (@bandwildyouth) April 25, 2023
“Acceptance Unity and kindness. Ian will have nothing to do with Wild Youth on our eurovison journey. Again from the bottom of my heart. I’m sorry to anybody who had to read these tweets and was effected by them.”
RTÉ has confirmed that Ian is no longer part of Ireland’s Eurovision 2023 team, but will not make any further comment.
Ian has worked as a choreographer on RTÉ’s Dancing with the Stars for years, and has previously worked with well-known acts such as Westlife, Nathan Carter and Walking on Cars.
The choreographer has also worked on TV series including Dancing on Ice, Got To Dance and So You Think You Can Dance.
Goss.ie have contacted Ian Banham for a comment.
Wild Youth will represent Ireland at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held in Liverpool next month.
The band will perform their song We Are One during the first semi-final, which takes place on Tuesday, May 9.
The foursome is made up of Conor O’Donohue, David Whelan, Ed Porter and Callum McAdam.
