BBC presenter says he was racially abused outside a…

BBC presenter says he was racially abused outside a Greater Manchester pub

BBC radio presenter Nihal Arthanayake says he was racially abused during a bizarre exchange with a man outside a pub in Trafford.

Nihal, who hosts Radio 5 Live's afternoon show, said he was waiting for his wife outisde a pub in Altrincham where they had been drinking when he got chatting to a 'drunk man.'

And in a video posted on Twitter, he said the man asked him if he was a doctor before calling him a p*** and also using the n-word.

"So, last night this happened to me and I am still trying to process the weirdness of it" he said in the post sharing the video, in which he explained what happened but didn't name the pub.

In the video itself, he said: "I don't really know what just happened. I was in a place called Altrincham, which is a bit of a hole. I was outside this pub which I'd been in with my wife, dancing around, jumping around etc. It was fun. Covers band, they were very good.

"I saw this man sitting outside, I was waiting for my wife to come out, so I said 'can I come and sit with you, can we talk?' and he was like 'Yeah, yeah absolutely.' Little, kind of drunk man.

"We got talking and he said 'oh are you a doctor?' So I started laughing because it's a question as an Asian you might get asked. And I went 'Well why would you ask that?'

"And he said 'Well, because you're a p***. And then he went 'oh I guess I can't say p***' then he said the n-word! Then he kind of looked at me and was like 'oh sorry, you're offended aren't you?" And I said 'well why did you say that word?' He said 'I'm sorry I'm a massive....' and used the c-word.

"I said 'You're not a massive c-word, you're just an average one. Dictators are massive c-words, you're just an average one.' It was so weird,

"But you know when you come to some of these areas, I think there's just some people who still think they can say that word."

Nihal was inundated with messages of support on the social media site. Poet Lemn Sissay said: "Sorry brother. These invisible guard rails made by the mouth are the last feeble vestiges of the colonial project.

"He is lost, a trapped fox, drunk & lonely, cornered by your kindness, shadow boxing himself, in search of meaning: You are strong. You ar e the absolute shizzle!"

James Skelly, singer with indie band The Coral said: "That’s horrible. Sorry to hear that happened to you mate."

Ray Singh said: "Did u hit 88mph and go back to the future? Sad state of affairs this day and age irrespective of location." Whilst another Twitter user said: "Sorry you heard that bro, also you dealt with it much better than most people."

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