James Haskell slammed for ‘disgusting’ comment on Jacqueline Jossa’s photo

Jacqueline Jossa

Former rugby player James Haskell came under fire after posting an offensive comment about Jacqueline.

I’m A Celeb winner Jacqueline Jossa shared a fun photo posing on a beach, where she joked about not looking like an Instagram model.

Her caption read, ‘So @danosborneofficial took this photo of me and I was certain I was going to look like a full on Instagram model in my cute dungarees on the beach. FUMING!! Look at me 😂

‘BUT still I look at this with fond memories of playing football on a beach with my hubby, racing and just being so silly. I can’t help but smile.

Fair to say I will never be that girl 😂🖤’

A photo posted by on

But a comment from James Haskell was criticised by fans as he made a controversial comparison. He wrote, ‘You look like you are waiting for the sunshine bus and if anyone touches your football you will go mad’.

The term ‘sunshine bus’ is colloquial for public transport for disabled children, so many people were furious with his comment. One follower wrote, 'Wow James, excelled yourself here, this certainly isn’t ‘banter central’ and no I’m not a snowflake, just think this is a horrible comment.’

A parent of a disabled child added, ‘As a parent of a child with a disability these types of comments are often said to mock a person’s disability and are hugely offensive, experience first hand the struggles and pain of a disabled person or be a family member who hears comments relating to a person they love it’s heartbreaking. So I will happily be on the pc brigade, defending my child and others with disability.’

And another said, ‘Let’s hope you never have children with special needs!’

Since James’ comment, Jacqueline has limited comments on her post but hasn’t publicly responded to it.

According to The Mirror, disability equality charity Scope responded to the comment by saying, “Ignorant, nasty language like this is no laughing matter.

“Public figures making these kinds of comments legitimises the discrimination that many disabled people still face on a daily basis.”

Lucy Buglass
Digital Writer

Lucy Buglass is a Digital Writer for What's on TV, Goodto.com, and Woman&Home. After finishing her degree in Film Studies at Oxford Brookes University she moved to London to begin her career. She's passionate about entertainment and spends most of her free time watching Netflix series, BBC dramas, or going to the cinema to catch the latest film releases.