Russell Tovey apologises for saying drama students are 'effeminate'

The History Boys actor was 'baffled and saddened' by the reaction to his quotes

Good job: Russell is used to playing ‘loveable dickheads’ on television (Jason Alden)

Russell Tovey said he was surrendering in the face of criticism, and said he'd been branded the "worst gay ever" after he described drama-school students as "effeminate".

In an interview with The Observer, Tovey said that he "could have been really effeminate" had he gone to drama school instead of his Essex secondary.

"I feel like I could have been really effeminate," he said, "if I hadn’t gone to the school I went to. Where I felt like I had to toughen up.

"If I’d have been able to relax, prance around, sing in the street, I might be a different person now. I thank my dad for that, for not allowing me to go down that path. Because it’s probably given me the unique quality that people think I have.”

Tovey, who came out aged 18, said that his father didn't let him go to the Sylvia Young School in case he became a "tapdancing freak without qualifications".

On Tuesday morning, Tovey raised the "white flag" after being criticised for his remarks, and apologised in a series of tweets.

Readers had argued that Tovey's original comments fed into the idea that being "effeminate" was somehow bad.