EXCLUSIVE: Sex and the City creator Candace Bushnell praises controversial And Just Like That character Che Diaz for not wanting kids – despite being dubbed ‘worst character on television’ by fans

Che Diaz faced strong backlash when he joined And Just Like That, with viewers calling them the ‘worst character on television’.

But despite the outpouring of disgust, they have won the approval of Sex and the City creator Candace Bushnell, who applauded the non-binary, queer stand-up comedian for not wanting to be a mother.

The acclaimed author, 64, who was behind the original HBO series, spoke candidly about her thoughts on Sara Ramirez’s divisive character during a fireside chat at Ludlow House, New York, on Thursday evening.

“A lot of things that bother other people don’t bother me,” she said. “Like Miranda’s storyline, I don’t have a problem with it because I know women in real life have had the same storyline.

Che, played by Sara Ramírez, has been called the ‘worst character on television’ – depicted in character with Cynthia Nixon as Miranda Hobbes

“Maybe not with Che Diaz, but you know, I love Che Diaz because Che Diaz is liberating.

‘Here’s a character who doesn’t understand motherhood – I love that, that’s a relief.’

Che, a newcomer to the spin-off series, began dating Cynthia Nixon’s Miranda Hobbs after leaving her marriage to husband Steve Brady.

The character was accused of being the ‘worst’ of the series, which saw Miranda reunited on-screen with Carrie Bradshaw and Charlotte York, played by Sarah Jessica Parker and Kristin Davis respectively.

Viewers found the character ‘cringe-worthy’ and accused them of ‘setting non-binary representation back 70 years’.

Candace, speaking at an event for matchmaking app Tawkify, previously opened up about choosing a career over having children.

In an interview with the Sunday Times in 2019she said, “When I was 30 and 40, I didn’t think about it.

‘When I got divorced and was in my 50s, I started to see the impact of not having children and being truly alone. I do see that people with children have an anchor in a way that people without children do not have.’

Che famously had an affair with Miranda in the HBO spinoff

Candace applauded the character for their views on not wanting to have a family

HBO’s Sex and the City, which also starred Kim Cattrall as Samantha Jones, was based on an anthology of columns Candace wrote for The New York Observer.

The column was an instant hit, and it wasn’t long before book publishers were lining up to publish an anthology of Candance’s racy column, which documented her singleton life in Manhattan.

Last February, actor Sara defended their character Che, saying the stand-up comic is “not here to be liked.”

Speaking to The New York Times about the intense backlash from fans, the Broadway star said, “I’m very aware of the hate that exists online, but I have to protect my own sanity and my own artistry.”

And Just Like That premiered on HBO in 2021 and has since been renewed for a third season

Candace gave her verdict on Sex and the City spin-off And Just Like That, describing it as ‘amazing’

Speaking about blocking out the negativity and focusing on the character and the show, Sara explained, “And that’s much more important to me because I’m a real human being.

“I’m really proud of the representation we’ve created. We have built a character who is human, who is imperfect, who is complex, who is not here to be liked, who is not here for anyone’s approval. They are here to be themselves.”

The star also made a point of saying that they have no control over the writing on the show.

“I welcome the passion people bring to the table around this representation. But in real life, there are many different people who show up at the table and speak truth to power in countless ways.

‘And they all land differently on different people. And Che Diaz has their own audience that they speak to and who really get a kick out of what they do.”