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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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Is saying you saw a gypsy selling clothes pegs in Kent they knock on doors asking you to buy pegs or lucky heather, I saw an Indian selling curry the other day is that racist, the countries going mad.
Posted by: james.meares on Mon Mar 17 01:24PM | Report abuseNobody gives a damn that this poor fox has been chased throughout 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 01:24PM | Report abuseTotal rubbish this pc nonsense is getting out of hand about time a stop was put on it lets get back to having a sense of humour that the british are famous for
Posted by: brianbell109 on Mon Mar 17 01:25PM | Report abuseThis is silly, he is a childrens puppet.! If they are worried about this then they should be more concerend about other things children hear & see, some way before bedtime. He is a laugh and great fun.We dont get much of that these days.
Posted by: diana.patrick on Mon Mar 17 01:25PM | Report abuseHow utterly ridiculous!!! And what is wrong with selling pegs? A door to door salesman would sell them. Are the Romany community saying a door to door salesmans work is beneath them? I am in a wheelchair and would not find it offensive if someone suggested that I need, for example, a ramp. Some people have too much time on their hands and like to create trouble in an empty house.
Posted by: burrowce on Mon Mar 17 01:25PM | Report abusethis country has lost the plot. no golly on noddy, basil brush a racist, andy pandy cant get into bed with Looby Loo, please can this madness stop? who actually is in the minority these days??????
Posted by: jingoldby on Mon Mar 17 01:26PM | Report abuseo
Posted by: ann.marchant on Mon Mar 17 01:26PM | Report abuseBasil brush should not be banished from our screens honestly what is the world coming to we soon will not be able to sneeze without offending
Posted by: george.rae5 on Mon Mar 17 01:26PM | Report abusego basil you are i tv icon clear your name fight it all the way. there are lots of other things going on in the world and someone sees it fit to complain over a puppet that told a joke six years ago they need their head seeing too. boom boom
Posted by: simonmaher07 on Mon Mar 17 01:27PM | Report abuseWe all love you Basil, ha ha !
Posted by: ann.marchant on Mon Mar 17 01:27PM | Report abuse