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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
Well im sorry but i think the world is going mad what ever happened to sticks and stones may break my bones but NAMES will never hirt me, is there not more things on the planet to worry about for gods sake the kids wont even know what was meant by it anyway GET A LIFE
Posted by: djsimonbrown on Mon Mar 17 01:17PM | Report abuseIts a bit early for april fools jokes innit?
Posted by: mobymg on Mon Mar 17 01:17PM | Report abuseZG
Posted by: mpbirks on Mon Mar 17 01:18PM | Report abuseno i dont think he should where do we draw the line....when we cant laugh at all? or do we call a halt before we get to the point when free speach is a thing of the past.i think this is absolutely ridiculous
Posted by: grandlady16 on Mon Mar 17 01:18PM | Report abuseFor goodness sake, this is a 6 year old episode of a show presented by a puppet?????!!!!!
Posted by: beckypettitt on Mon Mar 17 01:18PM | Report abuseWhat a load of B****cks
Posted by: mcdonnell788 on Mon Mar 17 01:18PM | Report abuseWhat ever next, the police should be catching criminals,not worrying about jokes with reference to Gypsies, next thing we will be banned for telling jokes reference people from diferent countries.
Posted by: simon.hbk on Mon Mar 17 01:19PM | Report abusewe love basil leave him alone!!
Posted by: dparker523 on Mon Mar 17 01:20PM | Report abuseNobody gives a damn that this poor fox has been chased throught the countryside for centuries by some snooty wotsits in red coats and monacles. It should be Basil that claims racist abuse, and before you say "Have you seen what a fox can do to a chicken run", consider what a chicken can do to a corn cob!
Posted by: andy.maddy on Mon Mar 17 01:20PM | Report abusev
Posted by: james.meares on Mon Mar 17 01:21PM | Report abuse