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December 10, 2013updated 11 Dec 2013 2:30pm

Daily Star calls for Sun columnist Katie Hopkins to be banned from television

By Rachel Banning-Lover

A Sun columnist found herself in further hot water after the Daily Star backed an online petition to have her banned from TV.

Former Apprentice star Katie Hopkins is at the centre of her second Twitter storm in less than two weeks after tweeting a joke about the name of a sick child featured in a charity appeal on the  X Factor.

Ten-year-old Kaychanel Willson, who has had 25 operations and suffered from MRSA, appeared in an appeal for Great Ormond Street children's hospital during Sunday's show.

While watching the show, Hopkins tweeted: "Kaychanel has enough on her plate without me adding to it. Could have been worse. KayEsteeLauder."

Her tweet followed an one on 30 November where she tweeted a joke about Scottish life expectancy in the wake of the Glasgow crash.

It was that tweet that led to a petition calling for Hopkins to be banned from all programmes and interviews.

"On the 30th of November 2013, Scotland was still in shock and trying to come to terms with a horrible crash that took the lives of innocent people. Within 24 hours of this happening Katie Hopkins posted vile remarks on Twitter about how long the people of Scotland live for,” the petition read.

"This is unacceptable and distressing to those who lost friends and family. We the undersigned are sick and tired of ITV and Channel 5 giving her airtime and want her banned from all TV shows on your channels. This woman is nothing more than an attention seeker who does not deserve to be a celebrity."

On Monday, the Daily Star backed the campaign – which to date has reached over 90,000 signatures.

"As rent-a-gob Katie Hopkins struck again this weekend – hurling her latest 'joke' at a sick child – we are encouraging readers to sign the petition banning her from TV," the Daily Star said.

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