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This Morning hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary have pushed back against protests targeting events featuring drag queens.

On Friday’s show, the pair, along with panellists Gyles Brandreth and Ateh Jewel, were discussing a sensory event for parents and their babies set to feature drag performers and end in a ‘rave’.

The CabaBabaRave was due to be held this weekend in London.

Organised by two mums, the event branded itself a ‘little slice of afternoon delight’, however caused controversy after some people said it was ‘inappropriate’ for children.

Some photos from previous events showed bondage-clad acrobats and thong-wearing drag queens, as well as a female performer in nipple tassels.

Speaking about the event in the wake of it being cancelled, the This Morning panel were totally confounded.

Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary defended drag queens attending ‘baby raves’ (Picture: ITV)

‘Surely it is just a bit of fun,’ Alison said, while her co-host added it was ‘just a sensory experience for babies’.

However, Ateh explained further why she thought that people were up in arms.

‘It just shows you that nipples when you are breastfeeding is a beautiful natural thing but put some tassels on and there’s a problem,’ she said.

Gyles Brandreth and Ateh Jewel were also confused as to why people were up in arms (Picture: ITV)

‘I don’t understand what the problem is. It is fantastic, it is artists, it is so beautiful the colour and the movement – I think literally get over it and just join it.’

Sharing his opinion on it all, Gyles said he ‘didn’t have a problem with it’, and said it was an event that allowed mothers to get out and about and have a good time.

‘People are complaining because it is a drag act and a show [they think is just] for grown-ups but it’s like taking baby to cinema, it is for mums who want a fun morning or show and the babies are just there at the same time.’

Do you agree with Alison and Dermot? Have your say in the comments belowComment Now

The panel then discussed how drag has a longstanding history and questioned why there was suddenly so much backlash and claims that it was damaging for children to witness.

‘This country has an incredible tradition of drag acts,’ Dermot said.

‘When I used to watch Saturday night television when I was a kid I would be holding out for the likes of you know Danny [La Rue] or Dame Edna, and they were marvellous,’ he said.

Dermot said he used to love watching Dame Edna Everage when he was young (Picture: Don Arnold/WireImage)

As Alison said, she wanted to get involved and attend a baby rave: ‘It sounds amazing.’

The discussion saw the team praised on social media by Welsh drag queen The Vivienne, who won the first series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2019.

‘Thank you so much @radioleary and @AlisonHammond on @thismorning for talking complete sense about drag!!! It’s nothing new and it’s just entertainment 💚💚💚💚 #thismorning,’ she posted on Twitter.

Other people watching on held similar sentiments.

Comparisons were made to other shows deemed family friendly (Picture: Twitter)

The complaints came after a protest against a Drag Queen Story Hour UK event at London’s Tate Britain last weekend.

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One person was arrested after Members of Patriotic Alternative, a white nationalist group, led demonstrations.

However they were met with hundreds of people who came holding trans Pride flags and signs reading, ‘Don’t let the far-right divide us’ and ‘Smash Fascism and Racism’ as part of a pro-LGBTQ+ counter-protest.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.

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