A local councillor has defended Chatham after the town received a bashing from comedian Julian Clary on TV show Countdown.

The actor was speaking to Anne Robinson, host of the Channel 4 series, when he called the town a "terrible place".

During the episode, which aired today, Mr Clary was speaking about going on tour once more, to which the former Weakest Link presenter replied: "I was talking to Rachel Parris, the comedian, a few weeks ago on the show and she said some cities or some towns are more difficult to play, she said Lincoln was quite tricky."

Mr Clary, 62, replied: "Oh and Chatham, don't go to Chatham, whatever you do if you want to laugh, just veer round it, terrible place."

Ms Robinson then asked if he had ever returned, to which the children's novelist replied: "I have vowed to never go back. I am very damaged by that.

"I am rude about Chatham in all of my books. Even my children's books, I find a way to be rude about Chatham."

This is not the first time Mr Clary has expressed his dislike for Chatham.

In 2019, during a magazine interview, he was asked about audiences across England, and said he doesn't perform in Chatham anymore "because it's a s***hole".

When asked to explain why, he added: "They didn’t laugh. Fifteen years ago, it was. Scarred me for life."

Cllr Vince Maple, leader of Medway Labour, has defended the town following the jibes aired today, in a Tweet.

He said: "I see Julian Clary is Chatham bashing again on Channel 4.

"This is my home town as well as the home of Charles Dickens, @dovetailgames, @DockyardChatham, @rivetdistillery, the award winning @ChathamTownFC and so much more.

"JC - I'll buy you a coffee at CafeNucleus."

He finished the tweet with the hashtag #ProudToBeChatham.

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