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01st Sep 2018

Bishop apologises for inappropriately touching Ariana Grande

Bishop Charles H Ellis III has apologised for appearing to grope singer Ariana Grande at a memorial service for Aretha Franklin

Carl Kinsella

Bishop Charles H Ellis III has apologised for appearing to grope singer Ariana Grande at a memorial service for Aretha Franklin

The bishop was on stage with Grande at a memorial concert for Franklin, who died in August. Grande performed Franklin’s beloved hit ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’.

However, many commentators noticed that Ellis’ hand was wrapped around the side of Grande’s chest, and that she appeared to be in very clear discomfort.

https://twitter.com/NLiddle16/status/1035720185192361985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1035720185192361985&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fnews%2Fnewsbeat-45381687

Ellis now apologised for the interaction.

“It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast,” Ellis told the Associated Press. “Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar. But again, I apologise. That’s the easiest thing for me to do, that’s the right thing for me to do, and I hope she will forgive me.”

Ellis also made a joke about Grande’s name, saying that when he first heard it he thought it was a new item on the menu at Taco Bell.