courtesy of Instagram/@swcctnergrandeLife & Culture / NewsLife & Culture / NewsThe bishop from Aretha Franklin’s funeral apologised to Ariana GrandeAfter fans’ complaints that he ‘groped’ her and made an offensive joke about her nameShareLink copied ✔️September 2, 2018September 2, 2018TextThom Waite Hundreds of high profile figures attended Aretha Franklin’s over-six-hour funeral on August 31, which saw performances from singers such as Faith Hill, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, and Ariana Grande, whose emotional rendition of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” was well-received. Perhaps too well-received by some, fans speculated, after Bishop Charles Ellis III, who led the ceremony, “got very handsy” with the singer. The bishop’s admittedly awkward greeting of Grande when she finished the song saw him embracing her with his hand resting uncomfortably close to her breast, spawning the hashtag “#RespectAriana”, which trended worldwide. #RespectAriana is trending worldwide after a pastor got very handsy with @ArianaGrande at Aretha Franklin's funeral pic.twitter.com/FeJQ4f3lk4— Ariana Grande Today (@ArianaToday) August 31, 2018 Later, the bishop apologised. “It would never be my intention to touch any woman’s breast,” he told the Associated Press. “Maybe I crossed the border, maybe I was too friendly or familiar. But again, I apologise.” He also explained how he had hugged all performers at Franklin’s service, both female and male. Inappropriate touching wasn’t the only thing the bishop apologised for, though. He also addressed his joke about thinking Grande’s name, when he saw it on the programme, was a new item on the menu at Taco Bell. Probably not the best thing to say at one of the most public ceremonies of the year (it was also livestreamed internationally). Grande hasn’t publicly responded to the accusations or the apology. Presumably, the singer will be treated better by Davina McCall in her recently-announced hour-long special for the BBC, which will feature an in-depth interview and performances. What was up with that pastors hand? pic.twitter.com/M8Ypgm7fQB— Trevor Noah (@Trevornoah) August 31, 2018I think every woman can look at Ariana Grande's face and body language and viscerally feel what she's feeling. The tension. The nervous laughter. Not wanting to make a scene or make him angry. Every woman knows this feeling.But google her and everyone's talking about her dress. https://t.co/VYikD43RnM— Maggie Astor (@MaggieAstor) September 1, 2018Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MOREWinter Olympics 2026: The breakout stars from Milano Cortina Why do we think we can’t find love in the club? BurberryTwiggy, Maya Wigram and more front Burberry’s SS26 campaignNo, Gen-Z aren’t too dumb to read Wuthering HeightsRomance is booming. But is our culture less romantic than ever?Escentric MoleculesMolecule 01 + Champaca is Escentric Molecules’ latest sultry scentWhat to do (and not do) if you get caught cheatingDoes the internet have mummy issues? Ej Dickson investigatesHalf His Age: Jennette McCurdy’s new novel takes on age-gap relationshipsOakley Breakdancer Sunny Choi is Super Bowl readyJim BeamJim Beam and Dazed are celebrating game day earlyBright futurism: Who’s in charge of imagining a better future for humanity?Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy