TV Presenter Eamonn Holmes Criticized After Saying Prince Was a ‘Girl’s Artist’ Due to ‘Flamboyancy’

On Thursday, it was announced renowned music legend Prince had been found dead inside his Minnesota home. His passing made international news, and did not escape the attention of a famed British television presenter whose comments about Prince agitated a number of the singer’s fans.

According to the Huffington Post UK, television personality Eamonn Holmes took to the airways Friday with his co-host and wife, Ruth Langsford, on ITV’s This Morning. The couple was discussing the music icon when Holmes stated, “I think there was a bit of problem with Prince … he was more a girl’s artist than a boy’s artist.”

Old fart attitude Eamonn? https://t.co/mfymmyU6vs #EamonnHolmes #PrinceRIP #Prince #creative

— Rachel Brudenell ? (@gymrachel) April 23, 2016

When Langsford asked, “You think?” Holmes continued with, “Yes, it’s the flamboyancy … I mean Tim the floor manager was just saying to me we find it hard to relate because there was that flamboyancy you had with David Bowie as well.”

Langsford seemed to want change the tone of their discourse and focus on the late Purple Rain singer’s talents. She said the following.

“He [Prince] was massively popular and actually I hadn’t realized until I heard all the musicians and people in the music industry saying what an amazing musician he was … and I remember the music and the guitar … they were saying he was self taught he played the drums, he played guitar, he played everything …”

Holmes did interject at one point, heartily agreeing with his wife calling Prince “incredible.”

According to NME, this was not enough to appease fans who took to their respective Twitter pages and criticized Holmes for his comments.

Twitter user @PrinthaBardhan asked, “Oh dear Eamonn Holmes… Why is this man still on our TV screens?”

Another, @bartlett_vicky, wrote, “Yes that was manly of you wasn’t it, #EamonnHolmes, gender slating a more successful man than yourself, stop it, or gerroff TV!”

Yet another, @sodascone, tweeted, “#EamonnHolmes is a presenter for ‘morons’ and ‘too idotic’ for normal people. It’s the ‘stupidity that does it.'”

According to the Huffington Post, @_ChaChaCharlie_ took to Twitter and wrote, “…Eamonn I’m a guy and I loved prince, stop being so sexist. Flamboyancy has nothing to do with it. #EndGenderRoles.”

@spear_travels wrote, “…sorry Eamonn but you couldn’t be any wider off the mark regards Prince he was loved by all men and women ;)”

@DarrenHsaysso tweeted about the matter, saying, “Eamonn Holmes reckons men didn’t ‘get’ Prince because he was too flamboyant. Go away, Eamonn.”

NME notes that @JamHoopFilm took to Twitter and wrote, “Jamie says Eamonn Holmes is a ‘morons’ presenter and too ‘moronic’ for anyone to relate to.”

And yet another fan, @TreacleTowers, penned a post that said, “Prince & Bowie did not appeal to women more than men. They were idolized by both for their brilliance & innovation…”

According to Indy100, Holmes has yet to respond to the backlash he’s received on social media.

Remember when #Prince was on @TheMuppets? What a talent. #RIPPrince #PrinceGoneTooSoon #FlashbackFridayhttps://t.co/6j75mNvDXx

— Common Sense Media (@CommonSense) April 22, 2016

Prince was discovered at his Paisley Park compound near Minneapolis, Minnesota, in Chanhassen after a member of his staff was unable to get in touch with him Thursday morning. According to Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson, the 57-year-old artist was slumped over in a residence elevator, CNN reports. Paramedics were alerted and attempted CPR, but could not revive Prince. According to CNN, the music icon was pronounced dead at 10:07 a.m., just 30 minutes after sheriff’s deputies arrived on scene.

In case you missed it: News conference on the death of #Prince https://t.co/981j4DN1Ve

— WSVN 7 News (@wsvn) April 22, 2016

An autopsy was conducted on Prince on Friday. However, it may take days or even weeks before results reveal exactly why or how the singer died, according to CNN. Nevertheless, Olson noted that there was no reason to suspect Prince’s death was due to suicide. In addition, Prince’s body showed no signs of trauma.

Olson indicated that because Prince’s death was “unwitnessed,” the location where he died was processed, CNN reports. Olson further stated that he could not confirm whether Prince was taking any medications at the time of his demise.

According to the Huffington Post, only days before his death, the singer was travelling in a private jet that was forced to make an “abrupt landing” because of a medical emergency.

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]