Gorilla jibe scalds star of Sun

London: Britain’s top-selling newspaper The Sun is to oust Kelvin MacKenzie, a provocative columnist and long-time favourite of owner Rupert Murdoch, over an article widely criticised as racist, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.

The ouster of MacKenzie, who as editor of The Sun from 1981to 1994 ran some of its most memorable front pages, comes at a time when Murdoch’s US TV business is struggling to contain asexual harassment scandal at Fox News.

The Sun had suspended MacKenzie as a columnist last month after he likened soccer player Ross Barkley of the Liverpool-based club Everton, who has a Nigerian grandfather, to a gorilla at the zoo. MacKenzie denied that was racist.

The Sun withdrew the column, which its publisher News UK called “wrong, unfunny and not the view of the newspaper”.

Citing unnamed sources with knowledge of the discussions, the Financial Times said The Sun was negotiating exit terms with MacKenzie.

It presented his ouster as part of a clear-out of Murdoch’s old guard and linked it to the possible impact of the Fox News scandal in Britain, where its parent company Twenty First Century Fox is bidding to take full control of pay-TV group Sky.

British regulators examining whether Fox would be a fit and proper owner of Sky have met one of the women who have made harassment claims against ousted Fox News star presenter BillO’Reilly. MacKenzie did not answer several phone calls to his mobile number. A spokesman for The Sun said he remained suspended and declined comment.