Drew Barrymore slammed online for being ‘creepy’ towards Oprah Winfrey

Drew Barrymore has been criticised online, with fans calling the star “creepy” and “oblivious” to personal boundaries during an interview with Oprah Winfrey on her chat show, The Drew Barrymore Show.

Winfrey appeared on the 50 First Dates actor’s talk show to speak about the upcoming release of her new movie, The Colour Purple, reports news.com.au.

The former child star has become renowned for moving close towards her interviewees on her show, frequently hugging them and holding their hands as she embraces her own unique take on hosting.

However, Barrymore’s invasion of Winfrey’s space on the show appears to have sent a few viewers into a spiral.

Barrymore shifted closer to Winfrey, using her right hand to hold the talk show host’s right hand and using her left hand to slowly caress the inside of Winfrey’s arm.

As the Blended star held tightly onto Winfrey’s hand, she said: “Something that I learned about you, because I didn’t know this detail was that you would spend time with the audience outside of the show you were filming. And one thing that I’ve done is spend time with the audience every day. And I had felt guilty for it.”

Winfrey then seemed to shift back on the seat, trying to release her hand from Barrymore’s grip, while saying: “My crew used to be like, ‘Oh my God, how much time is she going to spend talking to that audience?! Would she please let the audience go so we can let the next audience in’?!”

Viewers flooded social media with comments slamming Barrymore for making Winfrey look openly uncomfortable.

“Oprah’s body language was so clear she wanted her hand back,” said one person, adding that Barrymore didn’t pick up on “clear” social cues from the chat show icon.

“Oprah’s body language says it all. Drew is holding on too much. Oprah is trying to release her hand from Drew’s grip. Drew is just too creepy and needy,” another viewer ranted, while another chimed in, saying: “The hand hold and the arm being caressed is past my boundary.”

Another said: “She’s really creeping me out now. It’s just too weird!”

In the past, Barrymore has defended her unique style of hosting, saying on The Tonight Show: “I feel this magnetic pull … I’m on my knees, I’m hugging. I actually am really into this. At first, I was like, ‘Oh is this a good thing? I can’t tell’ And then I was like, ‘No, this is awesome! It’s so much fun’!”