Nigel Farage has been left red-faced after being tricked into recording a paid tribute to Ian Watkins, the former Lostprophets frontman and convicted child sex offender, via the Cameo platform.
The Reform UK leader issued a 30-second personalized video on Thursday, January 15 in which he unknowingly praised Watkins, who was serving a 29-year prison sentence for multiple child sex offenses before being killed at Wakefield Prison in October.
In the video, Farage said: "This message is to pay tribute to Ian Watkins, a good man, a really good guy who was very much in contact with me, who loved his children and will be sorely, sorely missed by them forever."
He continued: "He will always hold a very special place in everybody's heart. And remember what he always said, 'mad lolz' – well, I'll tell you what, that does just about sum up the world, doesn't it? Sorry for your grief, but please try and keep some happy memories."
The video quickly circulated online, prompting widespread backlash once it became clear Farage had been referring to the disgraced musician.
Reacting to the revelation, Farage told Metro: "Thank him for the money. There are lots of Ian Watkins. Tell him to send more. I did alter his request."
The Cameo request was made by prankster John Smith, who said he was inspired by a similar incident last year in which Farage was tricked into repeating the pro-IRA slogan "up the ra."
"Getting the video was simplicity itself," Smith explained. "I just asked him to do a video on behalf of a late friend called Ian Watkins and his family."
Smith added: "I am concerned that he could not see through my frankly paper-thin deception and his willingness to do anything for money without even a rudimentary check. If he would do this for a small amount of money, what would he do for paymasters with deeper pockets?"
Ian Watkins probably would've loved this, but he got stabbed death in prison for being one of the worst people to disgrace this planet.
