Actor who quit London play over Maureen Lipman pro-Israel stance likes comment branding actress ‘zio hag’

The 45-year-old Northern Irish performer pulled out of Right Before I Go at London’s Soho Theatre last week, stating that Dame Maureen’s repeatedly voiced positions on Israel and Palestine made him unable to continue.

However, the Daily Mail has since revealed that Mr McCarthy went further than simply departing the show as he liked a series of hostile comments posted beneath his Instagram announcement explaining his exit.

Several of the messages contained language widely recognised by Jewish organisations as antisemitic, including the abbreviation “zio,” a term derived from “Zionist” that is considered a slur.

According to the Daily Mail, among the comments liked by Mr McCarthy was one declaring: “Lipman the zio hag can get in the bin.”

A second message hailed him as “a man of absolute principle” before adding the threat: “Zionists will soon have nowhere to hide.”

He also “liked” a post branding the 80-year-old actress “an odious ghoul,” which told Mr McCarthy: “You saved yourself a tiring battle with your conscience every time you would’ve stepped in to the room with her.”

Another comment liked by the actor called Dame Maureen “a horrid f****** witch” and “vile bigot,” with the poster adding: “I would cross the street if I saw her.”

That same message went on to condemn those behind the casting decision as “morally bankrupt scumbags” for being prepared to collaborate with the veteran performer.

GB News has contacted Mr McCarthy’s representatives for comment. In a statement provided to the Daily Mail, the actor said: “I do not endorse anti-Semitic language or personal abuse directed at Dame Maureen Lipman, and regret having inadvertently appeared to do so by liking a number of comments among the hundreds posted beneath my statement.

“My likes were intended as acknowledgements of support for my decision to withdraw, rather than endorsements of every word used in those comments. Having had the specific language brought to my attention, I have removed those likes.

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“My position remains the one set out in my original statement: my decision concerned views publicly expressed by one individual regarding Israel and Palestine. It was not about her Jewish identity, and I am against antisemitism.”

Mr McCarthy’s withdrawal was soon replicated by transgender actress Iz Hesketh, who has since become the second performer to withdraw from the production. The Hollyoaks star also pointed to Dame Maureen’s involvement as the catalyst.

Hesketh, 28, said on Instagram on Tuesday evening: “I was really looking forward to returning to the project, so this is not a decision I have made lightly.

“However, following the casting of Maureen Lipman and having recently become aware of public comments made by her, I no longer feel the next stage of production aligns with my own personal values and beliefs.”

The performer did not specify which remarks by Dame Maureen had prompted the decision exit.

Hesketh added: “I don’t believe anything will ever change if we don’t stand by our morals when it matters.”

Dame Maureen hit back at Mr McCarthy’s departure with a no-holds-barred response, dismissing his Instagram post as “virtue-signalling” and labelling his refusal to speak with her directly as “cowardly.”

“I am asking for him to have the courage to face me and tell me what he thinks it is I should do, or think, or say,” she told The Times.

The Olivier Award winner said she had spent six decades sharing stages with performers whose politics differed from her own. “I don’t ask them, and they don’t ask me,” she said.

She also expressed confusion after Mr McCarthy had attended the opening night of her production Allegra at Richmond Theatre just six weeks before his withdrawal.

“I would love to know what has changed in the last six weeks. Has he become radicalised, and by whom?” she asked.