Jason Manford hits back at troll by ‘wishing he would burn as a child in an orphanage’ – leaving stunned fans in uproar over ‘triggering’ exchange

Jason Manford shared his shocking response to a critic on Instagram on Thursday. 

A comedian, age 44, shared a harsh comment he received from a follower – ‘You’re about as funny as a burning orphanage.’ His response was a shocking retort: ‘I only wish you’d been a child in one.’

Jason shared a conversation on Instagram, asking if it was ‘Too harsh?’, and it sparked a lot of debate. Some fans loved his clever response, while others were shocked by it.

One of Jason’s followers, noticing his strong reaction to something, asked why he seemed so upset. They pointed out that ‘hurt people hurt people’ and wondered what specifically in the other person’s words had bothered him so much, prompting such a sharp reply. They added that while you can’t control what others say, you *can* control how you react.

Jason confidently addressed the fan, explaining, ‘I understand what you’re saying, and I intentionally responded as I did – I’d probably do the same thing again. The key difference is, I was being playful, but he isn’t taking it that way.’

Following the recent news about free speech and Lucy Connolly’s imprisonment for a tweet concerning immigrants, another fan commented, suggesting they too might be arrested for a similar post.

People loved the back-and-forth, with fans commenting on how well it was handled. Many said it was perfectly timed and appreciated the shared, though somewhat dark, sense of humor. Some praised the honesty and directness of the response, calling it fair and sharp.

It sounds like he’s paying attention to you in a teasing way. It’s almost like someone who pretends to dislike another person but actually likes them – a bit of a secret crush situation.

I’m deliberately starting an argument with a comedian – someone whose job is to use words skillfully and get laughs. That’s likely to end badly for me. If you’re going to criticize others, be prepared to accept criticism yourself. He made a good point.

Daily Mail has contacted Jason’s representatives for comment.  

This Twitter conversation follows Jason’s disclosure that he requested changes to the Waterloo Road storyline after his daughters voiced their concerns.

The actor joined the popular show last year as Steve Savage, the new school principal. His character had a romantic relationship with Nicky Walters, a lunch lady played by Kym Marsh, who is also in her forties.

It’s now come to light that the initial storyline involved Manford developing romantic feelings for a teacher in her twenties.

After sharing the storyline with his daughters, who thought it was strange and didn’t fit modern sensibilities, the comedian requested changes from the producers before agreeing to take the part.

Jason Manford discussed a storyline from his past on Good Morning Britain. He explained that the show, reflecting the time period, featured a plot where his teacher, who was a widower, began a romantic relationship with another teacher.

Oh my gosh, when they revealed who the teacher was, I immediately told my daughters – they were totally obsessed with the show too! But they were horrified! They were like, ‘Dad, seriously? You can’t even *think* about that! She’s, like, 24 and you’re 43! That’s just…weird!’ They were so right, of course, but still…

I wasn’t familiar with the character, so I called the producer. I told them I’d be thrilled to play the headteacher, but I had concerns about the storyline. It felt strange and inappropriate for modern audiences, and my daughters also strongly disliked it.

Honestly, I was practically begging them! I asked if there was *anyone* else on set he could have a storyline with, someone closer to his age. They suggested Kim Marsh, and I just… I couldn’t even deal with that. I just told them I’d talk to them on Monday, I was so frustrated I couldn’t even form a proper sentence!

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2025-09-18 17:04