TalkTV Apologises and Pays Damages to Drag Queen Over Defamation Claim

Phoenix Law Solicitors, acting for Marcus Hunter-Neill, confirm the successful resolution of his defamation claim against TalkTV concerning his participation in a family arts event in Belfast.

Mr Hunter-Neill, a professional performer who performs under the name ‘Lady Portia Di’Monte’, took part in “Drag Queen Storytime with BSL Interpretation” at Holywood Arches Library as part of the EastSide Arts Festival on 1 August 2025. The event was a lawful, inclusive and family-oriented arts event. Regrettably, our client had to be escorted out of the event by the PSNI as a result of disturbance caused by protestors of drag queen storytelling. Footage captured by protestors outside the event circulated online and was accompanied by damaging and defamatory content.

On 5 August 2025, TalkTV broadcast a segment on its programme, The Political Asylum, concerning our client’s participation in the story telling event, later republishing it on YouTube and X. Those publications featured the footage of our client leaving the event and were accompanied by extremely serious allegations targeting our client, without any factual basis. These publications, amongst others, triggered widespread online abuse and caused significant distress and harm to our client’s reputation and professional standing.

Under a final settlement agreement, TalkTV have now agreed to resolve the claim by way of public apology and substantial compensation to our client. The publications have since been removed by the broadcaster.

The apology by TalkTV which is published on X @TalkTV states:

“On 5 August 2025, during a broadcast of The Political Asylum and in posts on our X account, we published an unfounded allegation about Marcus Hunter-Neill, a drag performer known as Lady Portia Di’Monte. The publication related to his participation in a Drag Queen Storytime event at Holywood Arches Library in Belfast. We retract this allegation which we accept was without basis and apologise to Mr Hunter-Neill for the harm caused.”

Our Victoria Haddock, Solicitor at Phoenix Law said:

“This settlement is an important vindication of our client’s reputation and a clear acknowledgment that the allegations published by TalkTV were false, baseless and deeply damaging. Our client was targeted simply for participating in an inclusive family arts event, yet he was subjected to a torrent of abuse fuelled by misinformation and reckless publication.

TalkTV has now been forced to publicly retract those allegations, apologise publicly, remove the offending content, and pay substantial damages. That outcome speaks for itself.

The repeated attempt to portray drag performers as a threat to children is entirely baseless and serves only to inflame hatred and hostility towards the LGBTQ+ community. This settlement signifies that broadcasters will be held to account when they publish defamatory allegations under the guise of opinion or debate”.

Lady Portia Di’Monte said:

“I am relieved that this case has now been successfully resolved and that TalkTV has publicly retracted the false allegations made against me.

What followed the online and social media publications, was one of the most traumatic and frightening periods of my life, and the damage caused to my reputation, safety and wellbeing cannot be overstated. For more than 25 years, I have worked to support my community through inclusion, advocacy and the arts, and that was overshadowed by false and deeply harmful allegations.

People often forget that behind headlines, debate clips and online outrage there is a real human being left to deal with the consequences. The personal toll of this ordeal has been enormous.

The event at the centre of this was a long-running Drag Queen Storytime that promoted inclusion, literacy and confidence in a safe and positive environment. It had operated successfully for almost a decade and was about helping children understand that the world is made up of many different kinds of people, all deserving of dignity and respect.

While no apology can undo all of the harm caused, this outcome matters. Truth and accountability matter, and I hope it helps lead to greater responsibility in public discourse and better protection for those targeted by misinformation and online abuse.”