Head says sorry for showing ‘racist’ Two Ronnies sketch

HEADMASTER Colin Belford thought screening a Two Ronnies sketch would be a harmless way to inject some humour into a potentially dreary school information evening.

But rather than being grateful for the light relief, parents were outraged when they were shown the ‘racist and sexist’ clip from the 1970s BBC comedy show.

Mr Belford has now apologised for using the ‘inappropriate’ clip, titled Sheikh In A Grocery Store, to highlight the importance of communication between parents and teachers.

The sketch opens with Ronnie Barker in the role of a shopkeeper before Ronnie Corbett enters wearing dark makeup and a thawb – and Arab robe.

Several minutes of miscommunication follow as the sheikh attempts to purchase a list of items, mispronouncing chocolate mousse as ‘chokolatty mouse’ and tomato puree as ‘tom-a-too purry’.

Barker tries to correct him as the sheikh continues with his blunders, pronouncing cinnamon as ‘Chinaman’ and juice as ‘Jewish’. Barker’s character is also derogatory and demeaning towards his shop assistant wife.

Mr Belford played the clip to Year 9 parents during an hourlong information evening last Thursday at Archway School, a mixed comprehensive in Stroud, Gloucestershire.

But furious parents said there was no place today for the ‘racist’ 1970s humour. One said: ‘A teacher giving the presentation said the clips would show us how important communication is, but we couldn’t believe it when it came on the screen.

‘I love The Two Ronnies but showing someone with their face blacked up in order to laugh at their accent, in this day and age? I was furious.’ Another said: ‘The Two Ronnies are brilliant, but there’s just no place for this racist humour any more.’

Mr Belford said he has personally contacted parents to apologise. ‘I was contacted by some parents following a Year 9 information evening last week,’ he said.

‘They were understandably and justifiably concerned and offended by a YouTube clip which was used on the evening.

‘ The intention had been to demonstrate communication difficulties. I have spoken to each of the parents who contacted me to apologise for this inappropriate choice. I am grateful that they recognised that this is neither typical of Archway nor its inclusivity.’

A 2016 study by TV regulator Ofcom found modern viewers are less tolerant of racist or discriminatory words than in the 1970s.