Steve Brookstein, who won a singing competition 16 years ago, claims 5G ‘gives you AIDS’ in bizarre and offensive rant
Steve Brookstein (Jo Hale/Getty)
Steve Brookstein, who won the first season of The X Factor in 2004, has claimed that 5G can give you AIDS in a bizarre rant on Twitter.
The singer and reality television star made the comments after This Morning host Eamonn Holmes dredged up a conspiracy theory that suggests there is a link between coronavirus and 5G, the new generation of wireless phone technology.
When a concerned viewer tweeted ITV telling them they shouldn’t be giving airtime to harmful conspiracy theories, Brookstein chimed in with his own views.
The singer replied to the tweet saying Holmes is “allowed to have that opinion”. He was called out for his comment by Twitter user Michael Goodeve, but Brookstein went on to blast the “mainstream media” and said Holmes was only “giving balance”.
Former X Factor winner Steve Brookstein: ‘Personally, I think 5G gives you AIDS.’
When Goodeve said Holmes’ comments were “unsubstantiated nonsense”, Brookstein bizarrely brought HIV/AIDS into the conversation.
“And that is fine,” he wrote. “Personally, I think 5G gives you AIDS.” He finished his tweet with a smily-face emoji.
Brookstein’s comment will not be seen as funny by the families and loved ones of the estimated 32 million people worldwide who have died from AIDS. They will also not be warmly received by the LGBT+ community, which was decimated at the height of the epidemic.
Goodeve said he thought Brookstein was “trying to be funny” with his comments, but said LGBT+ people would not see the humour.
And that is fine. Personally, I think 5G gives you AIDS. ?
— Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) April 13, 2020
Brookstein then replied: “Who gives a f**k?” When another queer Twitter user suggested the singer “doesn’t care about the LGBT+ community”, Brooktein replied: “Whatever you say… ‘boys'”.
The first-ever X Factor winner doubled down on his views about 5G and coronavirus in further tweets posted on April 13.
In one tweet, he wrote: “I believe 5G was sent from Satan to manipulate man away from the teaching of Jesus Christ. Now what? So much for f**king evidence now.
The reality television star is no stranger to controversy.
This is not the first time Brookstein has made offensive remarks about people living with HIV. Last year, he slammed Gareth Thomas for “burdening the NHS” after the former rugby player opened up about his HIV diagnosis.
Brookstein lashed out at Thomas in a series of tweets in September 2019 in which he compared HIV to smoking and obesity.
“The hypocrisy of gay men discussing HIV is astonishing,” Brookstein wrote. “They don’t like HIV being compared to obesity or smoking. Yes it is unfortunate and treatable but so is obesity and smoking.
He later added: “Tired of real camp guys stepping to me with their self-righteous bulls**t. Don’t waste our time. Run along.”
PinkNews has contacted Steve Brookstein for comment.
