Good Morning Britain has come under fire after producers invited Christopher Biggins on to discuss the news that Superman’s son is bisexual.
Earlier this week, DC Comics announced that its character Jon Kent, the son of original Superman, Clark Kent, was bisexual.
While the news has been celebrated by fans, a small minority have spoken out against it.
Appearing on Good Morning Britain, Biggins immediately appeared to be confused about the fact that it is Clark Kent’s son, not Clark Kent himself, who is bisexual.
“Do something original,” the actor and presenter said. “Don’t take characters who already exist and make them into something they’re not.”
“I think it’s important that we not pander to the woke system,” he added.
Richard Madeley and Susanna Reid were quick to point out his error.
“If you had stuck with Clark Kent as Superman and made him bisexual, I think you’d probably have a point… You’d say, ‘Why? That doesn’t make any sense, it’s not in his back story,” Madeley said.
“But this is next generation, and actually in terms of fiction, it’s perfectly reasonable to think that the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane might well grow up to be bisexual… you say ‘why’, but why not?” he added.
However, Biggins appeared to ignore his mistake and continue to ask why DC did not “create something new”.
His appearance on GMB was controversial to viewers due to his past comments about bisexuality, which have now resurfaced.
In 2016, he was removed from the Celebrity Big Brother house after claiming that the AIDS crisis was exacerbated by bisexual people.
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In a separate conversation, he had also claimed that “the worst type is the bisexuals, what it is is people not wanting to admit they are gay”.
The show’s producers called him into the Diary Room and told him he was being kicked out over his use of “unacceptable language”.
“I’m very sorry and I’m very sad,” Biggins said in response at the time. His remarks led to the series being the most complained-about show of the year.
“I can’t believe Good Morning Britain had Christopher Biggins on to talk about Superman’s son being bisexual after he made these comments on Big Brother. Wtf were they thinking?” one viewer tweeted.
“This is bigoted trash from Christopher Biggins, complete with throwaway anti-‘woke’ line. But what do you expect from a guy who called AIDS a ‘bisexual disease’??” another wrote.
“If only there was someone queer who, I don’t know, had maybe edited a gay mag and then a magazine about superheroes, and had read comics all their life, who was available to speak about such things… But I guess that’s not the agenda they’re looking for,” tweeted journalist and editor Darren Scott.
The Independent has contacted an ITV representative for comment.
Jon Kent’s sexuality will be revealed in the 9 November issue of Superman: Son of Kal-El.
Writer Tom Taylor said in a statement around the announcement: “I’ve always said everyone needs heroes and everyone deserves to see themselves in their heroes and I’m very grateful DC and Warner Bros share this idea.”
He continued: “Superman’s symbol has always stood for hope, for truth, and for justice. Today, that symbol represents something more. Today, more people can see themselves in the most powerful superhero in comics.”
Superman’s attraction to another man has been teased in past issues with him flirting with fellow reporter, Jay Nakamura.