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A Black crew member has reportedly quit Mrs Brown’s Boys after the lead actor on the BBC sitcom made a racist joke during the filming of this year’s Christmas specials.
Earlier this week it was reported that work on the episodes were “halted” after Brendan O’Carroll made a “clumsy” joke where a “racial term was implied” during rehearsals. The term has not been disclosed.
The 69-year-old Irish writer and actor told PA: “At a read-through of the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas specials, there was a clumsy attempt at a joke, in the character of Agnes, where a racial term was implied.
“It backfired and caused offence which I deeply regret and for which I have apologised.”
A BBC source has since said to The Mirror: “How is it that they [the junior member of staff] are no longer on the show but Brendan is? The whole thing is messed-up.”
The source added: “The BBC takes the matter extremely seriously and Brendan also takes the matter extremely seriously. Brendan is under no illusion about this. We have made it clear what the consequences of any future issues would be.”
The BBC investigated the incident and halted rehearsals, which have since resumed at the corporation’s Pacific Quay studios in Glasgow. It is understood that the specials are still scheduled to air on BBC One this festive season in their usual Christmas Day and New Year’s Day slots.
On the matter, the performing arts and entertainment trade union Equity has said in a statement: “No working person should be subjected to racism when doing their job. Employers must realise the obligations they have and create safe, anti-racist workplaces.”
A BBC spokesperson said: “While we don’t comment on individuals, the BBC is against all forms of racism, and we have robust processes in place should issues ever arise.”
It comes after the iconic newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald condemned the incident. The 85-year-old told the Daily Mail: “I find it in every way crude and offensive and insulting. It couldn’t have been said without a desire to hurt and insult really. It’s not even funny.”
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When asked what action the BBC should take, McDonald said: “I would probably have very harsh words with the person who said that. And said the society and the community in which we live regards that sort of stuff as unnecessarily crude and offensive.”
Mrs Brown’s Boys has been a controversial presence on TV Christmas schedules for many years, and typically provokes strong reaction from viewers and critics.
The Independent’s Nick Hilton gave the previous New Year’s Day special a zero-star review, writing: “Observing that it’s unfunny is like observing that the sea is wet.”
The show is still popular, with more than four million tuning in last Christmas, but there have still been calls to reassess the programming in recent years, since critics say it is outdated, nauseating and unfunny.
