IRISH presenter Graham Norton has apologised after an audience member on his BBC chat show slated the Cork town of Fermoy.
In the Big Red Chair segment of BBC One's The Graham Norton Show, a former resident described Fermoy as a 'horrible, horrible town', sparking outrage from locals.
On Friday night's episode, Norton — who grew up in Co. Cork — apologised for the comments, adding: "Big up Fermoy."
'Outraged and horrified'
The incident unfolded when a woman took to the Big Red Chair on the Friday, October 13 episode of the show.
The segment sees audience members tell predominantly embarrassing personal stories, with those deemed entertaining free to go and those who fail to impress Norton being tipped out of the chair.
After a woman from Scotland took to the chair, she explained she had lived in Fermoy for about 20 years.
She went on to describe it as a 'horrible, horrible town', before adding that 'it's got a bridge if people want to jump off it'.
Norton flagged up the town's famous 'big pencil' as one of its plus points, a landmark erected to signpost the site of the former Faber-Castell stationery company.
An aerial view of Fermoy, Co. Cork (Image: Design Pics / Getty Images Plus)The host, who grew up around 50 miles away in Bandon, then spared the woman from being tipped out of the chair after hearing her anecdote.
While Norton enjoyed the audience member's tale, locals in Fermoy were less impressed with her appearance on the show.
Noel McCarthy, Fermoy Fine Gael Councillor and Chairman of Fermoy Tidy Towns committee, appeared on Newstalk's Pat Kenny Show on Tuesday to air his grievances.
"We're so proud of our town and to be mentioned like that as a 'horrible, horrible town', it just upset us," he told the host.
"It's upset me because I'm very proud of [Fermoy] and a lot of people in the town have been outraged and horrified by her comments."
He added that the Tidy Towns committee would be writing to the show to express their anger at the comments.
Apology
On this week’s show, Norton addressed the controversy ahead of the Big Red Chair segment.
He also apologised for his own faux pas, with the town's big pencil having previously been removed.
"Before we do anything, I must begin with an apology because last week there was someone on the Red Chair [and] they were less than kind about the town of Fermoy in Co. Cork in Ireland," he said.
"Well, suffice to say, the people of Fermoy — not happy. They got quite upset about it, so we'd like to apologise.
"In fairness, I did defend Fermoy and said it was the home of the big pencil but sadly, I must apologise again because apparently, the giant pencil has been removed.
"However, on the up side, Fermoy did win cleanest town in Ireland 2007 and 2018, so I imagine it's still quite clean.
"Big up Fermoy."
On social media, Mr McCarthy welcomed Norton's apology, adding that he hopes the star will accept an offer to visit the town.
"Thank you to Graham Norton for apologising to Fermoy tonight on his show and acknowledge the work that the Tidy Towns do in the town after comments that were made by Zoe, a contestant on the Red Chair last week," he posted on Facebook.
"We in Fermoy really appreciate your apology and hope you will visit us soon."
