Julia Bradbury leads Twitter fury at female hunters as they defend animal killings on TV
FORMER Countryfile presenter Julia Bradbury and broadcaster Amanda Lamb were among the hundreds of viewers who slammed hunters featured in the Channel 4 documentary The Women Who Kill Lions tonight.
Julia Bradbury (right) has condemned the hunters
Julia, 45, furiously took to Twitter and told her 61,000 followers: “Better kill that beautiful big lion before hunting them becomes illegal. And don't forget to do a little jig #TheWomenWhoKillLions.”
While Amanda, 43, shared an equally fuming tweet, telling her 110,000 fans on the social media site: “I've been feeling angrier about the state of things this week than I ever have #TheWomenWhoKillLions is about to tip me over the edge”, along with six angry-faced emojis.
The hour-long programme aired this evening and had people up in arms over the controversial content and the infamous huntresses American Rebecca Francis and Croatian-Canadian Jacine Jadresko.
Jacine Jadresko hunts an animal in the film
Jacine with a dead lion from a previous hunt
Former star of The Apprentice James Hill posted: “How can these sick people kill beautiful wild creatures for fun!! They need shooting! #TheWomenWhoKillLions.”
Meanwhile, Ricky Gervais - who posted a photograph of Rebecca with a dead giraffe on Twitter last year which went viral - appeared to be keeping out of the social media storm this time.
He simply told his 11 million followers: “If you don't have empathy with animals, then you don't have empathy at all,” alongside an image of himself with a dog.
Infamous hunter explains 'buck fever'
A photo of Rebecca Francis with a dead giraffe that Ricky Gervais re-posted
I've been feeling angrier about the state of things this week than I ever have #TheWomenWhoKillLions is about to tip me over the edge
The comedian followed up with another post of a sleeping cat and the caption: “Have a peaceful night.”
Many other irate audience members took to social media in their droves to express their anger at the hunters featured on the programme.
One viewer on the micro-blogging platform said: “'You'll do this tastefully, right?' No, love, because there's nothing tasteful about shooting a defenceless animal #TheWomenWhoKillLions.”
Rebecca Francis spoke about why she enjoyed hunting
Rebecca killing a bear in the film
Another asked the question that many were thinking: “Someone please tell me what enjoyment you get out of killing wild animals #TheWomenWhoKillLions.”
Both female hunters spoke about why they enjoyed killing animals, with Rebecca revealing that she got “buck fever” after shooting a bucktail deer.
She explained to the interviewer: “You’ll see I’ll still be shaking. I’ll be excited for quite a while afterwards.”
Rebecca eventually managed to kill the deer but had to return the next morning to find the body. Once the carcass had been located, she and her husband took a photo with the dead creature.
Better kill that beautiful big lion before hunting them becomes illegal. And don't forget to do a little jig ?????? #TheWomenWhoKillLions
— Julia Bradbury (@JuliaBradbury) June 29, 2016
How can these sick people kill beautiful wild creatures for fun!! They need shooting! #TheWomenWhoKillLions
— James Hill (@JHill_Official) June 29, 2016
I've been feeling angrier about the state of things this week than I ever have #TheWomenWhoKillLions is about to tip me over the edge ????????????????????????????????????
— Amanda Lamb (@missamandalamb) June 29, 2016
If you don't have empathy with animals, then you don't have empathy at all. pic.twitter.com/JgE0GtVI60
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) June 29, 2016
Have a peaceful night. pic.twitter.com/a7hSjsYxti
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) June 29, 2016
Jacine tries to kill a rare Dalmatian goat before it runs off
When asked why she was smiling for the picture, she explained: “We’re happy. This is a freakin’ accomplishment. I couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Jacine, meanwhile, was seen taking her 10-year-old son for his first hunting expedition, the child admitted to previously vomiting when he saw a bear’s skull being skinned to be turned into a trophy.
His mother was heard telling him: “He doesn’t like blood. But you’ll get used to it.”