One of the most controversial public figures of the 21st century is bringing her one-woman show to my hometown of Felixstowe. That person is Katie Hopkins, who first rose to public attention in 2007 through The Apprentice. I never watched the show at the time, but a brief Wikipedia dive and some archived clips gave me enough context.
Despite being offered a place in the final, she left for personal reasons. During her stint, she made characteristically cruel remarks about viewers of shopping channels, women on maternity leave, those with fake tans, and people who were overweight. Following her departure, she sold her story to News of the World and Heat magazine—though I’ll spare you the personal drama.
From TV Personality to Political Provocateur
After The Apprentice, Hopkins became a regular on panel shows such as 8 Out of 10 Cats, Loose Women, and The Friday Night Project, and appeared on Radio Five Live. At first, her rise felt like another fleeting flash-in-the-pan reality TV moment. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
Somehow, she repositioned herself as a self-declared “voice of the people,” landing appearances on Question Time and other high-profile political programs. She also secured a regular column in The Sun. It was there, in the pages of one of the UK’s most divisive newspapers, that her tone hardened—from opinionated to outright hateful.
Her commentary increasingly targeted already marginalised groups: immigrants, Muslims, LGBTQ+ individuals. Her language was inflammatory, her tone toxic. Her platform amplified bigotry under the guise of “telling it like it is,” contributing to real-world harm and social division.
Hopkins’ rhetoric didn’t challenge power. It punched down—repeatedly and unapologetically.
Felixstowe Reacts
When it was announced that Hopkins would be performing in Felixstowe, the local Facebook pages exploded with opinion—some supportive, others disgusted. I opted not to wade into the debate, reminded of the quote often (and possibly falsely) attributed to Mark Twain:
“Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.”
Instead, I chose to wait and share my perspective here, where it can be expressed with clarity and without comment-thread chaos.
Civil discourse is increasingly rare—especially on topics like this. I partly blame Brexit for fuelling a combative, tribal atmosphere. It’s difficult to express a view without being shouted down or labelled. Many who oppose Hopkins’ appearance shared thoughtful concerns. Unfortunately, they were quickly dismissed with one word: “snowflake.”
Others argued that “she’s just saying what everyone is thinking.” Well, she’s certainly not saying what I’m thinking.
Free Speech vs. Hate Speech
The most common defence of Hopkins is free speech—a right I wholeheartedly support. But there’s a crucial distinction that must be made.
Free speech protects the right to express views without censorship or punishment by the state.
Hate speech, however, is defined as speech that incites violence, discrimination, or hatred against a group based on characteristics like race, religion, gender, or sexuality.
You can say what you like—but you also have to face the consequences. And Hopkins has: from media bans and lost contracts to successful libel cases. That’s not censorship. That’s accountability.
Let’s Be Fair—Even When It’s Difficult
While I strongly oppose Katie Hopkins and her brand of divisive commentary, I do not support a boycott of The Spa Pavilion for hosting her. If you don’t like her, don’t buy a ticket. But calling for a boycott of the venue itself is unfair. They are a business. They put on all kinds of shows. The same people calling for a boycott would be devastated if the theatre closed permanently.
Disagreeing with a performer doesn’t justify undermining an entire venue. If we care about arts and culture, we must support our local institutions—even when we disagree with one show on the programme.
In Conclusion
Personally, I find Katie Hopkins to be deeply objectionable and have no intention of attending her show. But I won’t stop others from going. That’s their right—and I respect that, even if I find the choice baffling.
What I won’t do is take part in any cultural censorship—no matter how disagreeable the subject. That kind of behaviour teeters on authoritarianism, and I want no part in it.
We can stand up to hatred without shutting everything down. We can hold people accountable without calling for erasure. And we can still choose compassion over outrage—because, frankly, the world could use a lot more of it.
