BBC Radio 1 star Greg James defended his wife, Bella Mackie, after they were criticized for their grief following the death of their beloved dog, Barney. The presenter announced the heartbreaking loss in an emotional Instagram post on Monday evening, saying he was "completely floored" by the news.
Heartbreaking goodbye
Greg, who often shared Barney's antics on social media, wrote: "I'm sorry to bring such horrible news but we had to put our lovely Barn to sleep earlier today. I can't really get my head around it. But he was peaceful, we were with him at home in the garden in the sunshine and I can't stop crying." He also asked fans not to send direct messages or bring up Barney to him or Bella for a while, as they were "completely floored" and couldn't talk about it.
Barney, adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in 2019, was a frequent presence on Greg's social media. In June, the couple celebrated his birthday with a sweet video.
Online criticism and defense
Following the loss, Bella, an author, shared a positive update about her upcoming book, Claws Out!, which is due for release on August 27. She posted a selfie holding a copy, celebrating its first review. However, one follower commented, "Too soon before your pup died!!" Bella bluntly replied, "F**k you," and Greg responded, "Our grief and how we deal with it is absolutely nothing to do with you. Or more simply put, what Bella just said."
Return to work
Greg took a day off from his radio show before returning on Wednesday, telling listeners it was "nice to be back." He explained he didn't "really want to talk about it too much because I will cry." The 40-year-old thanked fans for their "outpouring" of support, saying Barney was "so loved" and he was "very happy to have shared him with everyone."
