Influencer apologises after viral comment that ‘Wales shouldn’t be its own country’

Molly Stubbs

An influencer has apologised after her viral comments on a podcast stating that “Wales should maybe not be its own country” attracted a fierce backlash.

Tennessee Thresher, a self-described ‘lifestyle influencer’ and model on both Instagram and TikTok, has attracted more than 1.2 million followers to her @tennesseethresh account.

Tennessee also hosts a podcast titled ‘Punchin’, where she made the now notorious comments about Wales.

Discussing the World Cup with her co-host and partner, Danny Aarons, Tennessee began by voicing relatively innocent opinions about the World Cup qualifiers.

Tennessee believed that the tournament should be hosted every eight years instead of every four, “and let all of the teams be in the World Cup.”

However, things took a turn as she recounted realising that there are in fact stages prior to the World Cup to decide the qualifiers, and winning a single game did not automatically mean entrance into the tournament.

“This is where you’ll lose everybody,” Danny warned, though he encouraged her to continue.

Tennessee replied: “I don’t think Wales should be in the World Cup. I know Wales is its own country, but it’s literally like two and half hours away from London. Why is they competing in the World Cup when there’s teams like Ireland that are, like, fighting against Wales…

“I just feel like Wales and England should group together. Wales, for me, shouldn’t be in the World Cup.”

She went on to say: “I just think Wales should maybe not be its own country. I think someone needs to have a big long think about Wales not being part of England.”

The reaction from Welsh social media was strong, with comments such as ‘Unfortunately, this is just tone deaf from Tennessee. The Welsh were oppressed for so many years…’ and more sarcastic additions like ‘Ah yes, Tennessee, a great mind of our time whose opinion definitely belongs to the greater public and should be listened to…’ blasting the creator.

Several Welsh TikTok creators also made videos explaining the history of Wales’ oppression at the hands of the English monarchy and colonial effort, such as @RachelLewis111 who provided an in depth look at the Welsh Knot, the drowning of Capel Celyn, the Eisteddfod and Welsh cultural traditions set to Yma o Hyd.

@rachaelewis111 A little delve into Welsh history 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿#CymruAmByth #WelshNot #Wales #Hiraeth #WelshHistory ♬ original sound – GWALIA

Others like @Cerysdysgu gave lengthy responses. Cerys said: “When people ask me ‘Why do you have a TikTok that just talks about Wales and promoting the Welsh language and talking about Plaid Cymru and talking about Welsh history?’ This is why.”

@cerysdysgu Wales is it’s own country. So show people Wales is it’s own country! To clarify: this is my experience in South East Wales and also why I think Gogledd Cymru is my spiritual home. #welshtiktok #welshtok #cymru #wales #dysgucymraeg ♬ original sound – GWALIA

After Tennessee’s comments blew up, she returned to Punchin’ with an apology, saying: “I just want to start off by saying what I said was just something light-hearted, stupid opinion….My opinion actually means nothing.

“I basically just made a stupid little comment about Wales being a country. And I understand that I might think my opinion’s stupid, but obviously I have a following and I get viewers and what I say does have an impact and I could, like, influence other people’s opinions.

“I’ve reflected on it since what I said. And I just want to apologise to anyone from Wales that I have upset. I’m not being forced to say this. I’m actually doing this off my own back because I’ve upset like a lot of people and I didn’t know my history well enough when I was talking on the situation.

“It wasn’t that I believed Wales shouldn’t be its own country. It was more that I didn’t believe they should be in the World Cup, which upon reflection and upon learning a lot of the history of Wales I’ve educated myself in the last week, Danny stop laughing.

“I firmly do believe now like Wales have every right to be in the World Cup and they have every right to be their own country and I just want to say I’m sorry.”

 

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She then went on to threaten those that had sent her death threats, saying: “But for you people sending me death threats, I have screenshotted your picture and I will be in Wales soon and if I recognise you I will punch you in the face.”

“It’s not that deep,” Danny replied, but Tennessee stood firm, “No, I’ve actually upset so many people! Like I really am sorry. I just said it as a joke I guess…who cares what I think anymore it’s gone past that, it’s gone past the point of my opinion and I’ve upset people and it doesn’t matter what I said, I need to focus on the reaction.”

Responses to the apology have been mixed, with many taking Tennessee’s efforts to educate herself as a good sign. ‘Apology accepted. Diolch’, one commenter wrote, while another added ‘Chwarae teg iddi. I’r diafol a fo.’

However, some were less impressed with the apology’s delivery, such as ‘The smug laughs. Angin.’

Most, however, were more dismayed with co-host’s Danny’s attitude, interrupting Tennessee and making light of the situation as she tried to deliver a heartfelt apology.

One comment read: ‘Tennessee actually seems to be trying to apologise and Danny Aarons is just not taking it seriously, like if it wasn’t as deep as he thinks we wouldn’t constantly be told by English people that we are a part of them. There’s a reason we say Cymraeg instead of Welsh.’

Another commenter wrote: ‘Not that deep, yet there’s a whole part of Welsh history where England tried to remove the Welsh language 😬🥱’

Perhaps Danny can join Tennessee on the aforementioned upcoming trip to Wales and make his own apology to the Welsh people in person.