Holly Willoughby defends Adele over accusations of cultural appropriation

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This email for free Get our Now Hear This email for free SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Holly Willoughby has voiced her support for Adele, after the singer was accused of cultural appropriation for a photo she posted to celebrate Notting Hill Carnival. She captioned the post: “Happy what would be Notting Hill Carnival my beloved London.” Social media was divided in its opinion of the post, with some calling it “problematic” and a form of “cultural appropriation”, while others said they were not offended by the photo. During a debate on the issue on ITV’s This Morning, at which no Bame people were present, Willoughby argued: "Surely you've got to look at the intention of people who are doing it and her intention whilst posting that picture was just to celebrate something that she's been part of for a very long time, which is the Notting Hill Carnival that she's been to many, many times. He said it’s mostly Americans that criticised her and they don’t realise A) she is a Tottenham girl, B) she loves Notting Hill and C) on the Grenfell fire there was Adele getting on with it, distributing water not drawing attention to herself.” Matthew Wright had a different view, however, adding: “She clearly has offended a significant number of people… Adele is a very rich white woman at the top of the pop game and arguably might have got richer by appropriating the hairdo.” Notting Hill Carnival was celebrated as a virtual event this year – due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic – for the first time in its 54-year history.