Justice Secretary David Lammy has sparked controversy after naming disgraced US television star Bill Cosby as one of his top male role models growing up. The admission came while filming a video for civil servants to mark International Men's Day.
When asked about his childhood heroes, Mr Lammy first mentioned former South African president Nelson Mandela, but then added Cosby to the list. The footage featuring the comment about Cosby had to be cut from the final video, likely due to the star's tainted reputation following numerous sexual assault allegations.
More than 60 women have accused Cosby of rape or sexual assault, with the first allegation dating back to 1965. In a 2022 case, Cosby was found liable in the Los Angeles Supreme Court for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl.
A source close to the Deputy PM stressed that Mr Lammy was speaking specifically about childhood role models and referring to a time before Cosby's crimes were known. The source said: 'Lammy's view is that Cosby's crimes were abhorrent, and he does not represent a role model for anyone.'
The source explained that Mr Lammy had previously discussed how Cosby was seen as a role model for many young Black men in the 1980s, before his crimes came to light, during an era when positive portrayals of Black individuals were scarce on television.
