BBC sacks radio presenter Baker over chimp joke about royal baby
DANNY BAKER has been fired from his BBC show over a joke likening the newborn son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to a chimpanzee.
The Five Live presenter was accused of racism for tweeting an archive blackand-white photo showing a welldressed man and woman holding hands with a suited chimpanzee. He captioned it: “Royal baby leaves hospital.”
Baker deleted the tweet and apologised after a barrage of criticism. He insisted he had not intended to refer to the royal baby’s mixed race.
However, BBC bosses told him yesterday that his weekly sports entertainment show had been cancelled.
Baker, 61, has presented shows on the BBC for more than 20 years.
In an interview with LBC radio, Baker described the phone call from the BBC.
He said: “When they rung up with these portentous tones saying it was ‘beyond the pale and abhorrent’, I thought yes it was, but you’re now giving credence to the idea that I thought, ‘I know how to reveal myself as a phantom racist after all these years.’
“I was given a lecture, which I must say I terminated after about 30 seconds with a couple of words I’ll leave you to fill in.”
A BBC spokesman said: “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.”
Baker also said the tweet was linked to an on-air game he played about celebrities dressed as chimps, adding: “I’ve been doing a thing on the radio for years of famous people dressed as monkeys with fairground music.
“My go-to photo when posh people have a baby is this absurd chimpanzee in a top hat leaving the hospital.”
Baker’s fans pointed out that Lord Sugar was not fired from his BBC job as host of The Apprentice last year when he compared the Senegal football team to beach hawkers in Spain.
His photo of the squad, posted on Twitter, had been edited to include bags and sunglasses laid out on sheets.
One Twitter user wrote: “What on earth was Danny Baker thinking? I don’t believe he’s racist but it was inappropriate. He was sacked – a bit harsh – but it does beg the question why Lord Sugar faced no repercussions.”
Another wrote: “Agree Baker deserved to be fired for his stupid tweet. But can you explain why Lord Sugar faced no sanctions over this racism?”
A BBC spokesperson declined to comment on the Lord Sugar situation.
Meanwhile, Baker was condemned by many public figures for the tweet. Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Oti Mabuse said Baker had “shown his true colours” with the post. She added: “This is absolutely disgusting and disrespectful.”
Danny John-jules, the Red Dwarf actor, said: “Anyone defending Danny Baker is kidding themselves. Defending their OWN conscience rather than common sense.”
Charlene White, the ITV News anchor, called Baker’s comments “oldschool prejudice and racism at its peak” and said it was “unacceptable” for a “trusted broadcaster at a public service broadcaster to feed that prejudice”.
Some celebrities rallied to the defence of Baker. Duncan Bannatyne, the former Dragon’s Den star, tweeted: “Danny admits to being stupid. I think a fine and a period of suspension would have sufficed.”
Gyles Brandreth, the broadcaster and former Conservative MP, said that “when it comes to trying to be funny, everyone makes mistakes”.
He added: “All I know is that Danny Baker is a great broadcaster, a fine writer and one of the most decent & delightful guys in the business. I’m honoured to know him.”
It is not the first time Millwall supporter Baker has been in hot water with the BBC. In 2012, he delivered an on-air rant criticising BBC bosses for dropping his afternoon show and asking him to stay quiet about it.
He has also been sacked by 5 Live before, in 1997, for encouraging listeners to heckle a referee.
Lord Sugar @lord_sugar I recognise some of these guys from the beach in Marbella. Multi tasking resourceful chaps