CA-2024-001499 - [2025] EWCA Civ 1321

Mr Fox is an actor by profession, best known for his role as DS Hathaway in the long-running ITV series Lewis (2006-2015) and his work in the more recent Netflix series White Lines (2020). Since 2020 Mr Fox has been active in politics. On 16 January 2020 he appeared as a panellist on BBC TV’s Question Time programme and had an exchange with an audience member over allegations of racism which caused controversy. In the Autumn of 2020, prompted at least in part by these events, Mr Fox jointly formed a new political party, Reclaim, of which he became leader. Among the party’s viewpoints are that freedom of speech is in grave peril and that the “woke orthodoxy” of “white privilege” and “systemic racism” must be challenged. Mr Fox stood as Reclaim candidate for London Mayor in 2021 and in a Parliamentary by-election in 2023. At the times relevant to this case he had a Twitter account in his own name with the handle @LozzaFox with about 250,000 followers.

Mr Blake has been active in the social sector for 30 years, working mostly with children and teenagers. He has held a variety of non-executive positions in health and education. At the material times he was a trustee and deputy chair of Stonewall, the LGBTQ+ charity and Chief Executive Officer of Mental Health First Aid England (“MHFAE”), a social enterprise supporting education, positive attitudes and action in relation to mental health. Mr Blake had a Twitter account in his own name with the handle @simonablake with a substantial number of followers.

Mr Seymour is a professional drag and circus-skills artist with the stage name “Crystal”. He is from Canada. He first came to prominence here in 2019 as a contestant in the TV series Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK. He has since appeared regularly as Crystal on TV and at live events. He is an advocate for the gay community and racial equality, and a podcaster and media commentator focusing on drag, performance, sexuality and gender. At the relevant times Mr Seymour had a Twitter account in the name Crystal | Black Lives Matter with the handle @crystalwillseeu with a substantial number of followers.

Mr Thorp is a current affairs broadcaster, TV presenter and guest, and a columnist for Metro Online. She is well known for having previously been an actor, in particular for her role in ITV’s Coronation Street between 2017 and 2019. At the relevant times Ms Thorp had a Twitter account in her own name with the handle @nicolathorp_ with a substantial number of followers.