Basil Brush in 'racist' gag row

Mon Mar 17 10:58AM by TV Editor

Basil Brush

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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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User comments

  • (1891)

    NOW I KNOW WHAT TO SAY WHEN I NEED TO MAKE A 999 CALL!!! JUST TELL EM' "IT'S ALL BASIL'S FAULT, BASIL MADE ME DO IT"!! IS THIS A PUT ON??? THIS IS ONE FOR THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND MAYBE THE HOUSE OF LORDS!!! IS THE RIGHT HONORABLE HOME SECRETARY GOING TO INITIATE A TERRRORIST ACTION PLAN, TAKE THE APPRORIATE ACTION ON THIS??? I WOULD THINK IF YOU MENTIONED HER NAME TO THE POLICE AFTER THEIR LAST PAY RAISE, YOU MIGHT HAVE A SIMILAR RIOT LIKE THEY HAVING IN TIBET !!!!

    Posted by: jwjjk on Tue Mar 18 07:04AM | Report abuse
  • (1892)

    keep basil hes done no harm

    Posted by: rebekah18rw on Tue Mar 18 07:53AM | Report abuse
  • (1893)

    oh and get a life theres no gypseys well not many

    Posted by: rebekah18rw on Tue Mar 18 07:54AM | Report abuse
  • (1894)

    oh and get a life theres no gypseys well not many

    Posted by: rebekah18rw on Tue Mar 18 07:54AM | Report abuse
  • (1895)

    What a waste of police time... Is one complaint what is now considered a significant minority? I'm sure it wasn't malicious and throughout life we all have to, and should be able to, take such jokes about ourselves. We may not like it, but there is often a lot of truth in the way others see us. How sad are we getting?

    Posted by: ashway on Tue Mar 18 07:57AM | Report abuse
  • (1896)

    absolute rubbish........pc going too far..........its a kids programme for gods sake......any way brad pitt made a good pikey

    Posted by: j.mccullough43 on Tue Mar 18 08:15AM | Report abuse
  • (1897)

    it just about sums this country up,

    Posted by: susan484 on Tue Mar 18 08:48AM | Report abuse
  • (1898)

    Are we not becoming a little too sensative. I thought that part of being adult was veing able to take a joke against oneself. As for banning Basil Brush how ridiculas can you get.

    Posted by: david.airdhughes on Tue Mar 18 08:48AM | Report abuse
  • (1899)

    No I do not think Basil Brush should be banished from our screens. It was six years ago and things have moved on. Some people should appreciate this and get a life instead of looking for things to moan about Or are they looking to try and claim compensation like the rest of the mamby pamby people who want the rest of the world to carry them through life.

    Posted by: johnward294 on Tue Mar 18 08:52AM | Report abuse
  • (1900)

    Only in britain

    Posted by: j_craig895 on Tue Mar 18 09:04AM | Report abuse