Ross Kemp has weighed in on why celebrities who refuse to wear poppies on TV are doing so for the wrong reasons, as Charlene White, Jon Snow and Jamelia all cite the same justification for their decision.
The three stars say they cannot wear poppies on air because they are not allowed to display other charity symbols while broadcasting. Each also insists they wear poppies in their private lives.
Impartiality Rules Cited
Charlene White, an ITV newsreader and Loose Women panellist, said "impartiality rules" mean she cannot "visually support" every charity she favours. She explained: "That includes things like a red ribbon for World Aids Day, or a purple band for Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Both these and many more charities do great things in the UK, but I'm not allowed to give them exposure on screen."
Jon Snow, former Channel 4 News anchor, said: "I am begged to wear an Aids Ribbon, a breast cancer ribbon, a Marie Curie flower… You name it, from the Red Cross to the RNIB, they send me stuff to wear to raise awareness, and I don't. And in those terms, and those terms alone, I do not and will not wear a poppy."
The Poppy Appeal's Scope
The Poppy Appeal covers remembering veterans from every conflict, including two world wars that claimed more than 1.3 million British lives. The appeal also covers hundreds of other conflicts, including service people who lost their lives on active duty or in terrorism incidents.
Ross Kemp, appearing on GB News on October 29, said: "It's not just service personnel and our veterans; it's also the families, because they sort of serve as well. It'll be 20 years next year since I first went out to Afghanistan [to film], I was talking to a few of my friends who were actually serving soldiers while I was filming, and we were saying, 'What was the hardest thing about Afghanistan? Was it being shot at, was it getting diarrhoea and vomiting, was it the heat, the fear?' We both agreed that the hardest thing was coming home and looking into the eyes of the mothers who had lost their sons. I think it's really poignant that we think about families when we buy a poppy, not just those that have served."
Legitimate Reasons for Refusal
There are legitimate reasons for refusing to wear a poppy. Many Irish TV stars and artists will not wear a red poppy because the conflicts involving British soldiers going up against Irish soldiers are covered by the appeal. Pacifists might also refuse, but they have the option of wearing a white poppy for Remembrance Day, a symbol of opposing war and committing to peace.
Big names who refuse to wear any poppy at all, for reasons like those cited by Charlene, Jon and Jamelia, are considered an insult to every soldier who gave their lives for the country and to the families they left behind, especially given the huge platform these stars have.
