Steve Brookstein really doesn’t like lawyers
In what will no doubt go down as one of the more bizarre social media bust-ups of the year, the first ever winner of the X-Factor has clashed with a number of prominent legal commentators over the Eva Carneiro employment tribunal.
Steve Brookstein, who won music talent show X-Factor back in 2004 with over six million votes, questioned the behaviour of former Chelsea FC physio Carneiro on Twitter yesterday. Carneiro is claiming sex discrimination and harassment against the clubs’s former manager and constructive dismissal against the club.
With the physio reportedly rejecting a £1.2m settlement from the club, Brookstein — setting up a Twitter poll — questioned whether she was just being “greedy”.
Is Eva Carneiro being greedy by turning down £1.2m
— Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) June 6, 2016
Snigdha Nag — a barrister and senior law lecturer at City University — responded to Brookstein’s tweet, pointing out that Carneiro had lost a “much loved career” and encouraged the former X-Factor star to “look up some discrimination law”.
.@ZanySmirk @stevebrookstein Look up some discrimination law. Theoretically unlimited damages. She has lost a much loved career.
— Snigdha (@snigskitchen) June 6, 2016
This didn’t go down well with Brookstein.
@snigskitchen sod off love.
— Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) June 6, 2016
Firing back, the employment law specialist tweeted.
I don't tell Steve how to sing. But he wants to tell me about employment law. And what I can tweet about. https://t.co/1yEwOwMfSE
— Snigdha (@snigskitchen) June 6, 2016
One again this didn’t go down well with Brookstein, who responded by referring to Nag as “just a bird with a qualification”.
@snigskitchen seriously I don't give a shit that you're a barrister. Doesn't make you right. You're just a bird with a qualification.
— Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) June 6, 2016
36 Bedford Row criminal barrister Rebecca Herbert fired back.
And you're just a man who refers to women as "birds" .. https://t.co/2t5mb02rHA
— Rebecca Herbert (@RebeccaHerber44) June 6, 2016
Brookstein — who’s 2006 track “Fighting Butterflies” reached 193rd in the UK charts — then broke out the memes.
@RebeccaHerber44 pic.twitter.com/uxX2swmZIg
— Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) June 6, 2016
Crime blogging aficionado The Secret Barrister couldn’t resist responding to Brookstein.
@tara_snow @stevebrookstein Painful because he's a rude ignoramus who resorts to sexist insults when presented with a contrary opinion.
— The Secret Barrister (@BarristerSecret) June 6, 2016
Which led to possibly the most bizarre response of the evening.
@BarristerSecret mate. I don't give a flying fuck what you think. You mean nothing to me. For all I know you're a pervert.
— Steve Brookstein (@stevebrookstein) June 6, 2016
Brookstein is something of an expert at putting his foot in it.
Indeed, his autobiography Getting Over the X is one of the more self-destructive of the millennium. Highlights include:
1) His thoughts on the morning after his victory…
I wasn’t happy. I couldn’t imagine a footballer doing GMTV the morning after winning the FA Cup.
2) His consternation at Cowell serving up microwaved food at his pre-final dinner…
It’s not as if he can’t afford a cook…What have I become? I’m 35. I’m sitting in a mansion trying to impress a guy who turned up late to his own microwave dinner party. Why wasn’t I saying ‘What the f**k’s this s**t?’?
3) Allegedly turning down a finals night threesome offer from Sinitta and Jackie St Clair while Simon Cowell, smoking, watched on with the line…
This ain’t gonna relax me. I’ve gotta go onstage and sing ‘Against All Odds’ and I don’t even know the words.
He doesn’t just not like lawyers he doesn’t like anyone.