Black actor takes over role in The Simpsons

The white voice-actor who has played the character of Dr Hibbert on The Simpsons for more than 30 years has been replaced by a black performer.

Harry Shearer first portrayed the chuckling medical professional – who is black – in 1990. His last episode as the character aired in the US this week.

Shearer has been replaced by Kevin Michael Richardson, network Fox said, and the actor will make his debut in the upcoming season 32 episode Wad Goals.

Richardson is best known for his work on animated shows Family Guy and American Dad.

Fox announced in June last year The Simpsons would no longer feature white actors voicing nonwhite characters.

The show, which has been on the air since 1989, had previously faced criticism for having Hank Azaria, who is white, voicing Indian shopkeeper Apu. He later stood down from the role.

Holyrood’s Justice Committee has backed plans to reduce by more than a third the number of unpaid work hours imposed as a punishment in most community payback orders.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf insisted the 35% cut was a “proportionate and necessary” response to the Covid-19 pandemic – adding that restrictions could see the number of hours still to be completed by criminals top one million by summer.

Mr Yousaf told MSPS on the committee that the latest figures indicated there are currently 800,000 hours of unpaid work to be done as part of community payback orders.

He added that the “significant reduction in justice social work capacity” as a result of Covid-19 meant there was now a “high risk that these will not be deliverable within timescales expected by the courts”.