Sam Fender apologises after Johnny Depp 'heroes' photo at Newcastle pub

Sam Fender has apologised to his social media followers after sharing a photo of himself with Johnny Depp in which he labelled the actor a "hero".

The singer was spotted drinking with Depp and musician Jeff Beck in a pub in Newcastle last week.

The Seventeen Going Under singer captioned the picture posted on his Instagram Stories: with "some serious heroes," before he later appeared to delete it.

The picture was posted on the same evening Depp won his multi-million dollar libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard in the United States.

Depp has received an outpouring of support after winning the case against Heard, and has been mobbed by fans in Tyneside and Glasgow as he joined Beck's UK tour.

However, he is also facing a backlash from Heard's supporters.

Fender has posted a new Instagram message where he said using the word "heroes" in the context of the trial was severely misinformed.

He said: "I now realise it was a poor choice of words and timing, but that's irrelevant. It was naive and disrespectful to those who relate to any of the issues highlighted in the trial and the broader issues it poses.

"I didn't think it through and I should have.

"I can't really say anything other than it was ill-judged and I was ignorant with regards to the trials as a whole, and thoughtless on what my post could imply."

In 2020, a UK judge dismissed Depp’s libel claim against the publisher of The Sun, finding that an April 2018 column calling Mr Depp a “wife beater” was “substantially true”. The judge ruled Depp assaulted Heard on a dozen occasions and put her in “fear for her life” three times.

In the latest case, Depp then sued Heard in the US over a Washington Post article she wrote, entitled: “I spoke up against sexual violence – and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.”

The article does not mention Depp by name. However his lawyers argued at trial that it falsely implies he physically and sexually abused the Aquaman actress while they were together.

After a six-week trial, jury members on Wednesday (1 June) found Depp should be awarded $15 million in damages; comprising $10 million (£8m) in punitive damages and $5m (£4m) in compensatory damages.

Depp said his goal had been to reveal the "truth."

“And six years later, the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled," he said following the case.

Heard said she was "heartbroken" by the verdict, but “even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women”.

Heard's lawyer told US news show Today her client intended to appeal the case's outcome.

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