Why does Charlene White not wear a poppy? The Loose Women host has explained the reason

Why does Charlene White not wear a poppy? Loose Women fans are wondering after the ITV presenter was seen without one on TV this week.

Charlene, who hosts Loose Women and also presents ITV news, has released a statement in the run-up to Remembrance Day on 11th November, on which millions of people around the UK wear poppies and observe a two-minute silence to honour those who fought in the war.

In the run-up to this day, many people wonder which side to wear the poppy, while others have been asking why Charlene white does not wear a poppy at all on camera.

Why does Charlene White not wear a poppy?

Charlene White confirmed that she doesn't wear a poppy because of the racial and sexist abuse she often receives as someone in the public eye. 

She took to social media this week to re-publish a statement she shared previously explaining exactly why she chooses not to wear a poppy while the majority of her TV colleagues do.

'For @loosewomen, @itvnews and @itvlondon who aren’t aware about me not wearing a poppy on-screen in the lead up to 11th November. Here’s a statement and explanation that I’ve posted in previous years,' she wrote on Twitter.

Her statement reads, "Once again I've made the decision not to wear a poppy on-screen. It's never an easy decision due to the racist and sexist abuse that I often receive on social media as a result.

"It is a subject that provokes a lot of debate and anger - but it is one that I feel strongly about.

She continued to explain, "I support and am patron of a number of charities, and due to impartiality rules, I am not allowed to visually support them all whilst presenting news programmes.

"That includes things like a red ribbon for World Aids Day, or a purple band for Bowel Cancer Awareness Month."

But she revealed that while these and many more charities do great things in the UK, she is "not allowed to give them exposure on-screen".

She added, "So I feel uncomfortable supporting just one charity above all others, namely The Royal British Legion, but I fully support my colleagues who do choose to wear the poppy on-screen."

But the TV presenter admitted that when it comes to her private life, "it's very different".

She continued, "I wear a poppy on Armistice Day - in fact I wear one that my friend Jen's mum knitted for me a few years ago.

"And I proudly have one of the ceramic poppies from the Tower Of London on my mantelpiece."

But that's not all, Charlene also revealed she donates money to the British Legion every year to help them support serving and ex-servicemen and women and their families.

She begged, "So please don't think that I don't support the work that our service personnel do, or that I don't understand the sacrifices made by servicemen and women 100 years ago. I do," before going on to reinforce that she comes from a Forces family. Her dad served in the RAF and her uncle served in the Army.

When Charlene, 41, first decided against wearing a poppy on-screen, she made sure her family was ok with it and they supported her decision.

She concluded, "Of course I don't expect everyone to support it. However it is always important to remember what my family, your family, and millions of people over many generations have fought for: the right to choose, and the right of freedom of speech and expression."

Not only do people decide whether to wear a poppy or not, but there are people who chose to wear a white poppy, and the Queen normally wears five poppies.

You can watch a video clip below of the other Loose women all wearing poppies during the ITV panel chat show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJi73no8Lfo

Remembrance Day is held on 11th November, and on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month a two-minute silence is observed. And this year Remembrance Sunday will be held on 14th November.