TV reporter issues ‘clapback of the year’ on-air to ‘cruel’ body-shamer

A Canadian traffic reporter stopped a troll dead in their tracks when she issued a scathing response to an email criticizing her appearance.

Leslie Horton was in the midst of giving her usual traffic report for her network, Global News Morning Calgary, when she saw red and stopped to address a viewer who had sent an unsolicited fat-shaming email bashing her appearance and her choice of wardrobe.

The note began wrongly congratulating Horton, 59, on her “pregnancy.”

“I’m just going to respond to an email that I just got saying, ‘Congratulations on your pregnancy,” Horton began, while positioned in front of a green screen.

“If you’re gonna wear old bus driver pants then you have to expect emails like this,’” read Horton in conclusion.

While Horton does have a teenage daughter, she is not expecting, but she did go on to birth an epic retort to her online detractor.

“So thanks for that,” she began. “Um, no, I’m not pregnant. I actually lost my uterus to cancer last year. And um, this is what women of my age look like.”

‘So, if it’s offensive to you that is unfortunate,” she added. “Think about the emails you send.” 

The moment went viral after TikToker @Sarantium posted the video online, with thousands of viewers applauding Horton for standing her ground and Global News even posted the clip on X to show their solidarity with the reporter.

“This just makes me so mad. How dare someone reach out and say something so s—y,” Sarantium said captioned the video.

Another person said: “Leslie Horton is a treasure and a boss.” 

One user added: “I’m so sad for her. She didn’t deserve that. She handled it with grace,” while someone else posted, “What a queen! Perfect response.”

Another quipped: “Oh my God people are so needlessly cruel. I’m glad she could call them out.”

On X fellow Global News Canada TV Reporter Sean O’Shea also showed his support, deeming Horton’s comeback as the “clapback of the year.”

“Calling out the callous and cowardly critics on air: announcing she had cancer,” O’Shea wrote.  

Horton was diagnosed with endometrial cancer in 2020 and often shared news of her progress and treatments with her audience.

After reading all of positive messages, Horton wrote on X, “Thanks for all your kind messages this morning It took me hours to stop shaking…  but I’m shaking it off.”

While Horton, who has been with Global News for 26 years, didn’t name the person who sent the email on air, she did reveal that was familiar with the sender.

“He’s reached out several times over the years, and his intent is always to humiliate and hurt me,” Horton, told TODAY.com. “We’re not supposed to respond to trolls — so I had no plans to address it, but then the words just came out of my mouth. I had this visceral reaction.”