‘Inappropriate’ Dior advert featuring Johnny Depp sparks complaints

A television advertisement by Dior that features actor Johnny Depp has sparked backlash after it was shown during the Great British Bake Off final on Tuesday.

It comes after Depp lost a libel case against The Sun earlier this month after they referred to the actor as a “wife beater” in a 2018 article.

While the case was ultimately not about proving guilt or innocence, the judge found that claims made by The Sun that Depp had been physically abusive towards his then-wife Amber Heard was "substantially true."

Since losing the case, Depp stepped down from his acting role in the Fantastic Beasts film franchise by Warner Bros.

TV viewers, however, were shocked to see that a Dior ad featuring the actor is not only still being aired, but was shown during the commercial break of one of the UK’s most watched television shows.

In the ad for a Dior fragrance, Depp can be seen playing an electric guitar in a deserted landscape. It has previously come under fire for being inappropriate and insensitive to Native American culture.

Speaking to the Guardian, a spokesperson for advertisement regulator the Advertising Standards Authority said that the advertisement had drawn a number of complaints, saying:

"We have received a total of 11 complaints about this ad, with the complainants believing that Johnny Depp shouldn't be in the ad due to details concerning his recent court case.”

It remains to be seen whether Dior will record more adverts with Depp following the libel ruling.