Danny Baker is fired by the BBC for racist tweet likening royal baby to a monkey
- English comedian, Danny Baker, 61, has been sacked from his job after he shared a racist tweet likening Meghan and Harry's baby to a monkey.
English comedian, Danny Baker, 61, has been sacked from his job after he shared a racist tweet likening Meghan and Harry’s baby to a monkey.
Shortly after The Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced their newborn son to the world, Danny Baker took to Twitter to share a photo of a monkey dressed in a suit outside a hospital with a man and woman by his sides.
“Royal baby leaves hospital,” he captioned the photo.
This caused outrage and he was called out for likening the royal baby to a monkey because his mother is half black. He immediately deleted the tweet and issued an apology, claiming his intention wasn’t to be racist.
But the BBC Radio 5 Live host was fired from his position due to the controversial tweet. He revealed this in a tweet this morning writing: “Just got fired from @bbcradio5live.”
The BBC released a statement with regards to his sacking, saying: “This was a serious error of judgment and goes against the values we as a station aim to embody.
“Danny’s a brilliant broadcaster but will no longer be presenting a weekly show with us.”
In an email to staff on Thursday morning, 5 Live controller Jonathan Wall wrote: “I have just spoken to Danny Baker and let him know that he will no longer be presenting his weekly show with us.
“Danny made a serious error of judgement on social media last night and it goes against the values we live and breathe on this radio station.
“Danny has been a brilliant broadcaster for us and I want to thank him for his work with us on Saturday mornings over the last few years.”
Danny Baker is now blasting BBC bosses for giving in to the people’s outrage and calls to fire him. The 61-year-old said he had been “literally thrown under the bus” as he was fired over the phone this morning in what he described as a “masterclass of pompous faux-gravity.”
Speaking to Daily Mail from his house this morning, he insisted he’s not racist.
He told MailOnline: “I put up a silly photo for a joke. It was monkey in a top hat or something. I would have put it up for anyone. I apologised and I took it down when it was pointed out. Once I realised [that it was offensive] I took it down.”
Asked if he is a racist the BBC 5 Live broadcaster replied: “No of course I’m not a racist. Not in the slightest. It was obviously a mistake. I have made a full apology. Yes of course I’ve made a full apology. I put up silly pictures all the time. But that’s all. I think even you must realise that it was a mistake.
“I’m shocked at my own foolishness.”
