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Basil Brush is being investigated after a complaint was made about an alleged racist joke in the puppet's BBC series.
A complaint was received by the police following a recent screening of an old episode that features the fox telling jokes about gypsies, reports Metro.
The episode, which was originally shown six years ago, features a sketch where a gypsy woman tries to sell Basil some wooden pegs.
A police spokesperson said: "We can confirm we have received a complaint about a TV show featuring Basil Brush from a member of the public in February. The complaint was logged as an incident of a racist nature."
Joseph Jones, a spokesperson for the Romany, Gipsy and Irish Traveller Network, said: "Racist abuse of black people is quite rightly no longer deemed acceptable, but when a comedian makes a joke on TV about pikeys or gypos, there's no comeback."
Did you see the offending episode? Do you think Basil should be banished from our screens?
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@#$% Off,
Posted by: kimakuk on Mon Mar 17 01:29PM | Report abuseThe world has indeed gone mad ..
Posted by: countingcrow1 on Mon Mar 17 01:29PM | Report abuseDidnt it say this was an old episode? Things change don't they. However, Love Thy Neighbour is still on cable channels, I guess we have just learnt to distinguish what is truly offensive (Jim Davidson for example) from what isnt (Basil Brush).
Posted by: elliehurst on Mon Mar 17 01:29PM | Report abusef
Posted by: elaine.68jones on Mon Mar 17 01:30PM | Report abuseMY HONEST OPINION. LEAVE THE PUPPET AND THE JOY HE GIVES KIDS ALONE. WHEN THIS COUNTRY STARTS TO LOOK AFTER ITS OWN PEOPLE MORE, WE CAN GO BACK TO CALLING OURSELVES BRITISH.
Posted by: diana.patrick on Mon Mar 17 01:30PM | Report abuseYes - Basil Brush should be banned but not for racism - but because he has never been in the remotest bit entertaining. Boom boom.
Posted by: ianbeardshall on Mon Mar 17 01:30PM | Report abuseQuite right! If you want to typecast start with yourself.
Posted by: p.mckeown2 on Mon Mar 17 01:30PM | Report abusei am sick and tired of hearing about the word "racist" - we cannot alter the fact that the world is made up of lots of different races. When I was in Australia I was often referred to as a "Pommie @#$%" and obviously didn't take offence at it so what on earth is all the fuss about. There are too many people around with massive inferiority complexes in my opinion.
Posted by: corronstamps on Mon Mar 17 01:30PM | Report abusePathetic! political correctness gone mad
Posted by: cyth0n on Mon Mar 17 01:30PM | Report abuseWhatever next. Basil is an icon. What is this country coming to.
Posted by: wellsclaire on Mon Mar 17 01:30PM | Report abuse