Queer Eye star Karamo Brown’s Twitter account has been deleted after he was criticised for defending fellow Dancing With The Stars signing Sean Spicer.

The Netflix star was the target of backlash after praising Donald Trump’s former press secretary Spicer, who has been a controversial addition to the line-up of the US version of Strictly Come Dancing.

In an interview earlier this week with Access Hollywood, Queer Eye’s culture expert said he and Spicer have been speaking and he is a “really sweet guy”.

Karamo Brown
Karamo Brown’s Twitter account has been removed (Twitter/PA)

He said: “I was the most excited to meet him – the thing is, people would look at us and think we’re polar opposites but I’m a big believer that if you can talk to someone and meet in the middle you can learn about each other and help each other grow.

“So we have been chatting all day today, he’s a good guy, he’s a really sweet guy.”

He added: “I know, Karamo from Queer Eye is saying Sean Spicer is a nice guy, right?”

Brown also defended Spicer’s inclusion in the line-up on Twitter, writing: “First, I have no say who is on the cast and didn’t find out till this morning that he is on!

“But I’ll tell you this … I’m excited to sit down w/ him and engage in a respectful conversations.

“Only way things get better is if we try to educate those who have different POV (point of view) than us.”

Sean Spicer
Sean Spicer (Niall Carson/PA)

According to reports, Brown was widely criticised for his comments about Spicer, largely from those in the LGBTQ community.

His Twitter account has now been deactivated.

Queer eye star Bobby Berk had criticised US network ABC for enlisting Spicer while defending his colleague, saying they are media trained to speak kindly about others in interviews.

Berk tweeted: “As if being on @DancingABC with the stars wasn’t already one of the must grueling things anyone can put themselves through, celebs now have to deal with the producers & casting planting political land mines to blow you up.

“I’m very saddened by what my cast mate @Karamo is having to deal with today.

“We’ve been trained over and over to not talk smack about anyone in an interviews and to try to be as nice as possible.”

He added: “When being backed in a corner about voicing his opinions about @seanspicer Karamo’s media training kicked in as we are trained to do.

“Don’t talk negatively about people in interviews! Always be nice! It’s frankly a really shitting situation to be put in and @ABCNetwork should be ashamed of themselves for having put the cast in the position of having to take a political side on a f****** dance competition.”

Berk said “everything around us is constantly too political as it is”, adding: “Shame on you ABC for now making this beloved show political by casting one of the biggest liars who has ever been.

“It’s called ‘Dancing with the STARS’ and the fact that you’re calling him a star is disgusting. #DWTS.”

Dancing With The Stars host Tom Bergeron said in a statement earlier this week that he had previously hoped the series would be a “joyful respite from our exhausting political climate and free of divisive bookings from any party affiliations”.

Bergeron tweeted: “Subsequently, (and rather obviously), a decision was made to, as we often say in Hollywood, ‘go in a different direction’.”

US comedian Chelsea Handler was another critic of Spicer’s role in Dancing With The Stars, tweeting: “Sean Spicer joining Dancing with the Stars is proof that America loves giving people second and third chances… if they’re white.”

Spicer had a difficult relationship with the press during his time as Mr Trump’s press secretary and was widely criticised for making statements that were false before he resigned from the role in July 2017.

The Dancing With The Stars line-up also includes model Christie Brinkley, former Dawson’s Creek actor James Van Der Beek and former NBA star Lamar Odom, who was married to Khloe Kardashian.