Hollyoaks actor Ashley Taylor Dawson, 30, and Corrie star Ryan Thomas, 28, face a dressing-down this week from their furious bosses.
Rihanna, 24, ended up in hospital after she was savagely attacked by rapper Chris Brown hours before the Grammys in 2009.
But Dawson — who plays bedhopping Darren Osborne — sparked fury when he cruelly tweeted: “I hear Rihanna is back with Chris Brown... well if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!!”
Thomas — who plays builder Jason Grimshaw — then sent the sick jibe to his 167,000 followers. Channel 4’s Hollyoaks and ITV1’s Corrie both feature anti-domestic violence messages — and campaigners urged them to take action last night. Teresa Parker, from Women’s Aid, said: “Jokes like this one trivialise a very serious issue.
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| Jibe ... Ashley Taylor Dawson and Ryan Thomas |
“We have worked with Hollyoaks and Coronation Street to help develop domestic violence storylines and we hope they explain to the actors involved why domestic violence just isn’t funny.”
A TV insider said: “Both lads are going to be in trouble. It’s madness to post comments about one of the most highly publicised cases of domestic violence when your wage comes from shows filled with domestic violence plotlines.”
(Courtesy The Sun)
A Hollyoaks spokeswoman said: “This is not the sort of comment we would ever sanction. We will be talking to the actor.”
An ITV spokeswoman added yesterday: “We will look into the situation on Monday.”
Rihanna — who looked stunning as she arrived at a recording studio in California on Friday in tiny denim shorts — is rumoured to have been sending Brown steamy photographs.
Brown, 23, was sentenced to five years’ probation and domestic violence counselling after the assault.
