Disability Charity Brands Noel Gallagher 'Vile' Over Glastonbury Comments

Noel Gallagher has been branded as 'vile' by a disability charity over comments he made about his time at Glastonbury Festival.

The former Oasis star performed before headliner Paul McCartney with his High Flying Birds and hung about to enjoy other artists.

Speaking recently on The Matt Morgan Podcast, he said he watched Jamie T from the disabled viewing platform, showing his access all areas pass after a security guard initially tried to block him.

The 55-year-old said his group 'couldn't get to the bit on stage because we were f***ing wasted', so he flashed his pass and said 'this lot are with me, and we walked on to this platform - unbeknownst to us it was the disabled platform'.

He proceeded to joke that he would have tipped someone out of their wheelchair and encouraged his son to sit in it, adding that he would touch people on the forehead and tell them: "Rise... you can walk."

"I gotta say, those disabled cats have a great view of everything," he said.

While the rock 'n' roll star was clearly speaking in jest, his comments have not gone down well with disability charity Scope.

The Mirror reports that Warren Kirwan, the charity's media manager, said of Gallagher: "The casual abuse and belittling of disabled people in this interview is vile. There is no excuse for this kind of language.

"On top of that, accessible platforms aren't for privileged rock stars and their friends. These platforms exist so that disabled people can enjoy live music - without them many of our festivals would simply be off limits."

On Twitter, the charity doubled down on its criticism, claiming Gallagher's behaviour and comments were 'beyond insulting'.

The charity tweeted: "Reports of @NoelGallagher's behaviour at Glastonbury were upsetting enough. 

"But to hear him boast about his actions, and openly mock disabled people in the process, is beyond insulting."

It added: "Noel may belittle the experience of disabled music fans. But for many, the reality of attending live music and festivals can be stressful and upsetting."

LADbible has contacted Gallagher's representatives for comment.

Taking to the Pyramid Stage on the Saturday of the festival (25 June), Gallagher opened with a string of songs from his solo career, before closing his set with Oasis classics such as 'Little By Little', 'Whatever' and 'Don't Look Back In Anger'.

Speaking to Dermot O'Leary live on BBC Radio 2 before performing, he described Glastonbury as the only true 'festival of the arts'.

He said: "It's the only festival in the world, in the truest sense of the word. I've done them all. They're all big gigs in fields.

"This is the only one where it's a festival of the arts. You can watch a film, see a comedian, go to a knitting circle. I'm telling you, I've done them all.

"Some of them have their own merits. But this is the one that stands out in the entire world. It's an amazing thing. And it's one of the great things about this country."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Celebrity, Noel Gallagher, Music, Glastonbury

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey