BBC Only Connect star claps back at backlash as Victoria Coren Mitchell shows support amid row: 'I am loud!'

The Al Frescans took on The Midlanders for the quiz show episode and its was the former team's captain who felt the brunt of the online criticism.

Danielle Cope, a health and wellbeing practitioner, was a ball of energy from the get-go, excitedly expressing her delight that she and her teammates made it onto the show.

And the appearance was made all the more sweeter by the fact the Al Frescans emerged victorious, seeing off their opponents 28-18.

But once the episode aired, Cope took to X to address the online conversation that surrounded the episode.

After reading backlash to her conduct, Cope penned: "Browsing through tweets about Only Connect and was kinda shocked to see that most of them are about me.

"But then again I am a loud, fat, confident woman. Maybe I should be proud that I have annoyed so many people! I cringed at 99% of the things I said too."

Cope included a laughing emoji before she followed up: "Also funny that so many people take saying it 'hornèd viper' as pretension rather than silliness.

"Anyway, glad to have made an impression and helped the series get off with a bang. Can't wait to just watch it like normal next week."

Ssh now get away with you, you gorgeous creature. Social media isn’t real, it’s just a place people go to shout things. You’re clever and fun and the viewers love you ❤️

— Victoria Coren Mitchell (@VictoriaCoren) August 13, 2024

Before long, a number of Only Connect fans rushed to compliment Cope and urged her to ignore naysayers.

And one just happened to be Coren Mitchell herself who replied to Cope's words: "Ssh now get away with you, you gorgeous creature.

"Social media isn’t real, it’s just a place people go to shout things. You’re clever and fun and the viewers love you," she added alongside a love heart emoji.

Cope replied to the BBC presenter: "Thanks so much Victoria, you're totally right! I'm not letting it get to me."

Meanwhile, others rushed to echo Coren Mitchell's words, including one X user who penned: "You were marvellous. Everyone on Only Connect is marvellous. It is part of the deal."

"You didn’t annoy me!" a second weighed in. "I’m at a loss to understand how people could be annoyed!"

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And a third similarly supported: "Danielle, genuinely I mean this - I thought you were terrific.

"There’s a reason the series opened with you. It’s because your character really shone through the screen. It shouldn’t matter what women look like but you looked terrific! And you’re super clever! You’re my favourite." (sic)