Katherine Ryan "really admires" Slowthai.
The 37-year-old comic insisted her altercation with the 26-year-old rapper at last year's NME Awards - which saw him make sexual remarks to her and eventually being escorted off stage after getting into a row with audience members - was "like a pantomime" and all part of the "show", but she thinks people took the row "the wrong way".
She said: "People are quick to judge a situation they didn’t see first-hand,’ she said. ‘When we take little clips of something and put them on the internet, it can easily be taken out of context.
"I really admire Slowthai and think that situation was missing a lot of nuances once it got on social media.
"I was in a performative position where I was almost playing a character of myself. I was being a stand-up comedian. He was in a performative position where he was being a rock star.
"It was like a pantomime and it’s very different if that interaction had taken place at a bus stop. It’s a show. It’s all about the comedy of that night, and I think people took it the wrong way."
And Katherine was "concerned" for the 'Cancelled' rapper when she saw the backlash he was subjected to.
She added to BANG Showbiz: "I was concerned to see the level of vitriol directed towards him.
"That’s why I did everything I could to calm the situation because it was ridiculous. There’s a culture looking to expose everyone right now and that’s really wrong."
Following the outcry, Slowthai "unreservedly" apologised to Katherine and asked organisers to give her his Hero of the Year honour.
He tweeted: "@nme please forward my award to @kathbum for she is the hero of the year. what started as a joke between us escalated to a point of shameful actions on my part. i want to unreservedly apologise, there is no excuse and I am sorry. i am not a hero.
"Katherine, you are a master at your craft and next time i'll take my seat and leave the comedy to you. to any woman or man who saw a reflection of situations they've been in in those videos, i am sorry. i promise to do better. let's talk here. (sic)"
Katherine is spearheading Gousto’s Cookstarter campaign. Food enthusiasts across the UK were able get behind their favourite local by entering them into Cookstarter, as well as make in to help out, with tippable dishes inspired by five restaurants going live as recipe kits on Gousto. Each restaurant will also access a cash grant of £10k and a year-long series of business mentoring and coaching support. A shortlist is currently being compiled and voting will open on 18 February. Visit https://goustocookstarter.co.uk/ for more.
