Former TOWIE star Vas J Morgan has called out Connor Durman for his ‘bogus apology’ over sending racist messages to his ex-girlfriend Stevie-Leigh Pich, in which he branded her ‘rank, a s**t and a s**g’ for sleeping with black men.
The Tings magazine editor, 31, took to Instagram on Friday to share images of the offensive exchange, and urged the Love Island star to ‘educate himself’ in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.
The TV star, who has set up the I Am Enough campaign to help mental health in black communities, insisted the remarks ‘brought back trauma’ after witnessing his female friends go through challenging experiences with white men, and also claimed he heard conversations ‘with similar context’ on the set of the ITVBe series.
‘Men like this need education’: Former TOWIE star Vas J Morgan has called out Connor Durman for his ‘bogus apology’ over sending racist messages to his ex-girlfriend Stevie-Leigh Pich
Vas made a statement by reposting the screenshots that had resurfaced on social media, which caused the coffee bean salesman, 26, to issue a public apology for his ‘inappropriate and racist’ comments.
The media personality kicked off his response by highlighting the importance of racism and insisted his intention by the post was ‘not to shame Connor’.
Vas shared: ‘Firstly, I would like to make it clear that I am NOT posting these messages to shame @connordurman or prompt more hate.
‘I want to enforce that men like this do not need trolling, they need educating. I am posting these messages because you don’t get to apologize without context and get sympathy.’
Horrific: The Love Island star, 26, branded his former partner ‘rank, a s**t and a s**g’ for sleeping with black men (pictured on the show’s winter edition)
‘This was a racist attack that you launched MANY times on MANY occasions’: The Tings magazine editor, 31, took to Instagram on Friday to share images of the offensive exchange
Rita Ora’s close friend later called for answers regarding what the Brighton native has learnt from the matter, after claiming he’s displayed racist behaviour ‘on many occasions’.
He added: ‘This was NOT a heated argument with an ex girlfriend, this was a racist attack that you launched MANY times on MANY occasions. And not just with her.
‘You don’t get to say “you’ve changed” and that “you’re sorry” just because you got caught. If you’re really sorry.
‘Please explain what you’ve done to educate yourself, what prompted this change? How have you changed? What exactly have you learned? Have you apologized personally to the girl who received these messages?’
Impassioned: The TV star said he’s witnessed his female pals go through challenging experiences with white men, and also claimed he heard chats ‘with similar context’ on TOWIE
Vas criticised his apology and shared how his hurtful hit close to home, stating: ‘I’ve had these messages for a while and was going to ignore them until your bogus public apology brought back so much trauma.
‘From the many times I’ve heard my white girlfriends be told similar things, from the many conversations I heard on set of TOWIE with similar context.’
Calling for change, he ended his caption: ‘So to my white male friends. You’ll know who you are. Me allowing this to slide ENDS NOW! if we’re Grimm and disgusting to you. That includes me.
‘No I’m not “different” to the rest I’m a proud black man, it’s time for you to see that. Because we have had enough. To Connor, you don’t just get to apologize when you got caught.
‘There is no excuse’: Connor broke his silence earlier this week after vile messages aimed at his former partner came to light in January
‘I want to know exactly what you’re doing to make a difference and to support BLM. I would like to reiterate. Please do not abuse this man. Educate him. Black Lives Matter.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Connor and The Only Way Is Essex for further comment.
Connor broke his silence earlier this week after vile messages aimed at his former partner came to light in January.
In his lengthy apology, the ex-butler wrote: ‘During my time in lockdown and seeing the BLM movement it has given me time to reflect on my past and comments made during a heated conversation between myself and my ex girlfriend before my time in Love Island in 2019.
‘Firstly I would like to say I’m extremely sorry for my inappropriate and racist remarks written in the message….
Hurt: The Brighton native issued an apology to his love interest Sophie Piper, who is of English and Jamaican descent, when they left the villa and his remarks were revealed
‘I completely failed to think about my words and ended up saying something hurtful and insensitive when I was in an angry and emotional state of mind, talking privately with someone close to me.
‘The comments made were not a true reflection of the Connor Durman you all know today. However I understand now, there is no excuse for reinforcing racist comments…
‘I will think very hard about my assumptions and phrasing from her on out and hope to have an opportunity to show what i have learn, listened to and importantly understood regarding the BLM movement.
‘The BLM movement has given all of us, especially me, a huge insight into racism. Although I’ve made regretting comments in the past, I was to make it clear to the people hurt from my comments, including close friends and family…
‘I am not a racist and I do not condemn (sic) any racist behaviour physically or verbally. Being honest with myself, I still have a lot to learn about the BLM movement, culture and history, but I am very grateful that the BLM movement has happened…
‘The movement has my full support and it’s helped educate me personally along with millions globally, which I believe is one of the many changes the BLM movement are protesting for.
‘Finally, I would like to add because of the BLM movement, I plan to use my influence and social platforms positively, expressing in line with the peaceful protests that it is time for a permanent change’.
Meanwhile, Vas recently accused TOWIE of forcing him into stereotypical stories and failing to support his depression battle in an impassioned statement exclusively shared with MailOnline last week.
Candid: The media personality recently set up the I Am Enough campaign to help mental health in black communities (pictured on the show)
He has since insisted producers are ‘being active in trying to make a difference’, and also claimed ‘black tokenism’ he witnessed on other shows ‘almost turned me against my own kind’.
The socialite recently became the first British reality star to feature in Forbes magazine, and told the publication about how he overcame addiction, depression and a suicide attempt after struggling to deal with racist abuse and being the only gay black man on the TV show.
Vas told Forbes: ‘I have been subject to rejection and abuse my entire life, whether it was coming out and dealing with my family’s acceptance of my sexuality, from systemic racism in school, on television, or blatant racism on social media.
‘At the time, my way of dealing with this was self-harm, through substance abuse, bad decision making and really internalizing all of this stuff.’
He launched the initiative I Am Enough on Go Fund Me earlier this month, with the likes of Paris Hilton, Joan Smalls, Nadia Essex and football player Ben Chilwell all donating.
The Essex star raised a staggering £20,000 in just 12 hours and has had more than £47,000 in donations at the time of publication.
Vas said he hopes in the future to build a centre that will be a ‘space safe for people to meet without stigma or judgement’.
To donate visit: www.gofundme.com/f/i-am-enough-fund.
I am enough! Vas recently became the first British reality star to feature in Forbes magazine, and told the publication about how he overcame addiction, depression and a suicide attempt