MORRISSEY HAS ACCUSED The Simpsons of displaying “hatred” towards him after the sitcom parodied the former Smiths frontman.

A character similar in appearance to the singer appeared on the show’s most recent episode, Panic On The Streets Of Springfield, which aired on Sunday.

In the episode, Lisa Simpson becomes obsessed with a fictional band from the 1980s called the Snuffs and its quiffed frontman Quilloughby, a vegan singer who becomes her imaginary friend.

The character – voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch – later becomes overweight meat-eater who expresses anti-immigrant views.

In a statement posted to his website, Morrissey criticised the references to him and suggested that he would consider legal action against the show’s creators if he could afford it.

“The hatred shown towards me from the creators of the Simpsons is obviously a taunting lawsuit, but one that requires more funding than I could possibly muster in order to make a challenge,” he said.

“Neither do I have a determined business squad of legal practitioners ready to pounce. I think this is generally understood and is the reason why I am so carelessly and noisily attacked.”

The singer also suggested that he was disliked because his music affected people in “a strong and beautiful way”.

“In fact, the worst thing you can do in 2021 is to lend a bit of strength to the lives of others. There is no place in modern music for anyone with strong emotions,” he continued.

“Limitations have been placed on art, and no label will sign an artist who might answer back.”

Morrissey further hit out at his treatment in the media, saying that he had been criticised by those with “a crazed desire for importance”.

“Writing for the Simpsons, for example, evidently requires only complete ignorance,” he added.

“But all of these things are too easy for me to say. In a world obsessed with Hate Laws, there are none that protect me … free speech no longer exists.”

An outspoken and staunch animal rights activist, Morrissey has often aired his political views but has been condemned for his comments on race in recent years.