'harmful comments'
JLS’s Aston Merrygold heartbroken after cruel trolls racially abuse his three-year-old son on social media
JLS star Aston Merrygold has been left heartbroken after cruel trolls racially abused his three-year-old son on social media.
The singer, 33, has spoken out about "harmful comments" left on posts he shares about his family.
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Aston is dad to Grayson, three, and baby son Macaulay, with his partner Sarah Louise Richards.
Aston told podcast: "We like to share posts of our family, especially during lockdown when you don’t see friends and family very often.
"When harmful comments are written under his pictures, firstly, it’s not his Instagram, it’s our Instagram account.
"So, I know that those racist comments are really meant for me, not Grayson. Only an absolute moron would think a three-year-old has his own Instagram account."
Despite the upset, he adds: “The comments that were received online definitely didn’t make us want to hide away or restrict anything that we post.
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"To be honest, it made me more protective if that’s possible. I was always ready for this to happen; I went through racism through childhood and adulthood, on a daily basis, it’s there as clear as day.
"I’ve got a thick enough skin to deal with it, I’ve grown up through it, I’ve gained my knowledge, I’ve gained my experience, and I know how to handle it.
"To some people my boys look fully white, to others they will think they look a bit darker, and look like they have some kind of mixed race heritage.
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"Getting them ready for these questions is what I want to do firstly. Some people just aren’t going to like you when they look at you. This is the type of people we live among, I’m afraid."
Last year Aston asked for help to track down a troll after sharing a screenshot of the horrific comments.
Aston raged: "I need to know who this person is ASAP because from when you think you can move like this and write s**t on my son's page."
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He added: "You got the wrong one mate! So any information on @wickyaard need thrown my way now."
The musician also shared a screenshot of the troll's account, which was set as private and featured actor Woody Harrelson as their profile picture.
Aston's celebrity pals rushed to comment on the post, with Alexandra Burke writing: "This just makes me so angry."
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