Ant and Dec have issued an apology to their Twitter followers for ‘impersonating people of colour’ during ‘comedy’ sketches on Saturday Night Takeaway.
They took to the micro-blogging site on Wednesday evening, posting: ‘During past episodes of Saturday Night Takeaway we impersonated people of colour in the undercover segment of the show.
‘We realise that this was wrong and want to say that we are sincerely sorry to everyone that was offended.
Public apology: Ant and Dec have issued an apology to their Twitter followers for ‘impersonating people of colour’ during ‘comedy’ sketches on Saturday Night Takeaway
They took to the micro-blogging site on Wednesday evening, posting: ‘During past episodes of Saturday Night Takeaway we impersonated people of colour in the undercover segment of the show’
‘We purposely stopped doing this several years ago and certainly would not make these sketches today
‘We had already taken steps to ensure footage was taken down, and have again recently confirmed with ITV that these segments, and any other historical content that could cause offence, does not appear on either the ITV Hub or the Saturday Night Takeaway YouTube channel.’
Last year, the pair were slammed when old footage of the duo in blackface resurfaced.
During some of their many Ant & Dec Undercover sketches on the hit ITV show, the presenting duo changed their skin colour and wore prosthetics to portray made up characters in an effort to trick their famous friends.
![They went on: 'We realise that this was wrong and want to say that we are sincerely sorry to everyone that was offended' [pictured dressed up as 'Jamaican women Patty and Bernice' in 2003]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/06/10/18/29457736-0-image-a-367_1591811402248.jpg)
They went on: ‘We realise that this was wrong and want to say that we are sincerely sorry to everyone that was offended’ [pictured dressed up as ‘Jamaican women Patty and Bernice’ in 2003]
Pranksters: During some of their Ant & Dec Undercover sketches, the duo changed their skin colour and wore prosthetics to portray made up characters in an effort to trick famous pals
One of the most controversial skits saw them dress up as two fictional Jamaican women, ‘Patty and Bernice’, in an attempt to prank Emmerdale cast members, in 2003.
In the segment the Geordie pair acted as unruly extras in the Woolpack pub, behaving eccentrically in an effort to distract Louise Appleton (played by Emily Symons) and Diane Sugden (played by Elizabeth Estensen).
The prank was certainly successful, with the soap cast falling about with laughter as they realised they had been duped.
However, an old clip of Ant and Dec discussing their transformation into ‘Patty and Bernice’ on the Saturday Night Takeaway DVD also resurfaced, and makes for an uneasy watch.
In the clip, Ant appears to be amused as he recalls the particular sketch, joking: ‘It was funny sitting in a room, learning Jamaican, picking dresses, trying on false nails, was something I didn’t think I’d ever, ever do.’
Controversial: One of the most controversial skits saw them wear blackface to prank Emmerdale cast members
The skit: In the segment the Geordie pair acted as unruly extras ‘Patty and Bernice’ in the Woolpack, behaving eccentrically in an effort to distract Louise Appleton (played by Emily Symons) and Diane Sugden (played by Elizabeth Estensen)
Ant & Dec Undercover: Ant and Dec impersonated people of other races and ethnicities on multiple occasions while filming their Ant & Dec Undercover sketches.
Dec, mimicking a Jamaican accent adds: ‘We had to find who Patty and Bernice were, so we’d have to go “Well, I think Bernice probably came to England on a boat”.’
Ant and Dec impersonated people of other races and ethnicities on multiple occasions while filming their Ant & Dec Undercover sketches.
In 2004, the pair dressed up as two Japanese girls, with prosthetics, elaborate make-up and exaggerated accents used to transform them into Suki and Keiko.
During the skit, the Geordie pair attempted to trick the Coronation Street cast into believing they were in love with Todd Grimshaw, played by Bruno Langley.
Coronation Street: In 2004, the pair dressed up as two Japanese girls, with prosthetics, elaborate make-up and exaggerated accents used to transform them into Suki and Keiko
Tricksters: During the skit, the Geordie pair attempted to trick the Coronation Street cast into believing they were in love with Todd Grimshaw, played by Bruno Langley
And again: In 2005, Ant (pictured) dressed up as an Arab man, during another Saturday Night Takeaway prank, in which they targeted Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell
In 2005, Ant dressed up as an Arab man, during another Saturday Night Takeaway prank, in which they targeted Princess Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell.
For the skit, Ant sported a keffiyeh – a traditional Middle Eastern headdress – and traditional Arabic clothing.
Ant and Dec’s representatives declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline at the time.
This follows another controversial segment on the show, which took place in March of this year.
Sorry: Anne-Marie has taken to social media to issue a mortified apology after she appeared in a television sketch in which Ant & Dec wore headbands displaying Japan’s Rising Sun flag
Singer Anne-Marie took to social media to issue her own mortified apology after she appeared in a sketch on the most recent series of Takeaway, in which Ant and Dec wore headbands displaying Japan’s Rising Sun flag.
The pop star, 28, sang during the segment, as the men pranced around on set behind her, brandishing the flag which was adopted as the naval ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the 19th century.
So controversial is the symbol that South Korea’s sports ministry made the request to the International Olympic Committee last September to remove it from appearing at the Tokyo Olympics – even though the Olympics have since been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis.
They claimed the flag defies the peaceful spirit of the Olympics as it is a symbol of Japan’s imperialist past.
Anne-Marie took to Twitter to apologise to her 679,000 followers for the use of the symbol.
‘I sincerely apologise to all those who were affected and hurt by my appearance last night on a UK TV [show],’ she said. ‘I want you to know that I had nothing to do with the costumes on this sketch.
‘Unfortunately education on this part of the history wasn’t done and I am also hurt by the pain this signifies for so many people.
‘I am truly sorry and I promise you that this will not happen again.
‘Our team is talking to the TV station, working on taking down the footage so that it does not cause any more pain [sic].’
ITV told MailOnline afterwards: ‘We apologise for any offence caused during the End of the Show Show by the costumes worn.
‘This was clearly unintended and we have taken steps to re-edit that part of the episode for the Hub and for repeat broadcasts.’
MailOnline contacted Ofcom regarding the sketch at the time. The governing body said the show had received several complaints, none of which related to the sketch with Anne-Marie.
Uncomfortable: The singer, 28, appeared on Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway during which the two hosts wore headbands which featured images of the controversial flag
Oh dear: There were recently calls to ban the flag, which was adopted as the symbol of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the 19th century
Ban it! South Korea’s sports ministry made the request to the International Olympic Committee last September, claiming the flag defies the peaceful spirit of the Olympics
Ofcom said two complaints had been against a segment with Anthony Joshua and another had been to do with a cake being dropped on the floor.
Taking to Twitter, one viewer replied to Anne-Marie: ‘Thank you for apologising for that, and I’m glad you mentioned it without condoning it.
‘I hope this never happens again. From Korean fans cheering for Anne-Marie Smiling face with smiling eyes [sic].’
‘Truly sorry!’ Anne Marie insisted ‘I am also hurt by the pain this signifies for so many people’
Mortified: ‘Unfortunately education on this part of the history wasn’t done and I am also hurt by the pain this signifies for so many people,’ Anne-Marie wrote (Pictured at the BRITS 2020)
A another typed: ‘The rising sun flag signifies the most painful era of Korean history during WWII, and I am thankful that you addressed the problem quickly. Love you as always xxx [sic].’
‘I fully understand your mind. I wish you are OK. And I hope to see you in Korea soon. Take care of your health and love you xx [sic],’ wrote another.
The Rising Sun flag is currently flown by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, and was originally used by feudal warlords in Japan during the Edo Period.
Apology accepted: Fans rushed to thank Anne-Marie for explaining the error
It was then adopted as the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1870 under the Meiji Government.
And and Dec’s apology comes as Little Britain was removed from Netflix, BBC iPlayer and BritBox amid concerns that the use of blackface characters on the series is no longer acceptable.
In an apparent reaction to the Black Lives Matter protests, Netflix pulled the Matt Lucas, 46, and David Walliams, 48, series on Friday, along with the pair’s other comedy Come Fly With Me.
On Monday, the BBC and BritBox both confirmed they had also decided to remove Little Britain saying ‘times have changed’ since the show first aired. When asked if more shows would be removed, a BBC spokesman told MailOnline: ‘The change only affects Little Britain.’
Following this, The League Of Gentlemen was pulled from Netflix for its blackface character Papa Lazarou – as more films and TV shows face removal from streaming services over ‘racist’ stereotypes.
The controversial character was played by white actor Reece Shearsmith in the BBC Two comedy series, and has been heavily criticised over the years for his painted black face.
The show was pulled from Netflix in the UK today ahead of its expiry date of June 19, alongside Canadian series The Drunk And On Drugs Happy Funtime Hour which also features two characters in blackface.
Netflix has also removed comedian Chris Lilley’s controversial shows Summer Heights High, We Can Be Heroes, Jonah From Tonga and Angry Boys from the platform in Australia and New Zealand, Deadline reported.
The League of Gentlemen has been pulled from Netflix for its blackface character Papa Lazarou (pictured)
Netflix has also removed comedian Chris Lilley’s controversial shows Summer Heights High, We Can Be Heroes, Jonah From Tonga and Angry Boys from the platform in Australian and New Zealand
His most recent series Lunatics, which was created in collaboration with Netflix, is still available to stream despite accusations of racism and blackface in Lilley’s portrayal of a trans-racial woman.
Gone With The Wind has also been temporarily removed by HBO Max from its streaming platform after it was criticised for romanticising slavery.
The 1939 Civil War epic, starring Clark Gable as Rhett Butler and Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara, is based on a novel written three years previously by Margaret Mitchell.
It tells the story of a turbulent romance during the Civil War and Reconstruction period. Hattie McDaniel, who would have been 127 today, won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, becoming the first African American to win an Oscar.
Hattie McDaniel, as Mammy, with Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind, which HBO Max removed from its streaming service on Tuesday amid criticism of the content
Social media users took to Twitter today to discuss the latest round of removals from streaming services
The film has been viewed through a more critical lens in recent years, with many questioning whether a film that glosses over the horrors of slavery should still be shown.
The League Of Gentlemen, which was created by the BBC, and three of Chris Lilley’s shows are still currently available to watch through the broadcaster’s streaming service.
Stars of The League of Gentleman have previously defended the controversial Papa Lazarou character, with Shearsmith telling the Independent in February: ‘It was not me doing a black man.’
‘It was always this clown-like make-up and we just came up with what we thought was the scariest idea to have in a sort of Child Catcher-like way,’ he added.
‘And I don’t think we ever had any complaints then.’
The show, which stars Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Shearsmith, follows a number of residents from the fictional town of Royston Vasey. It premiered on BBC Two in 1999.
Stereotypes: Lucas played coffee shop worker Precious Little in Come Fly With Me
Little Britain has been removed from Netflix, BBC iPlayer and BritBox amid concerns that the use of blackface characters on the series is no longer acceptable
Its removal from Netflix follows All 4’s decision to axe Bo’ Selecta, which impersonated black stars such as Craig David, Trisha Goddard and Michael Jackson.
It was pulled from All 4 after creator Leigh Francis recently issued a tearful apology. It is, however, still available on Prime Video.
The second round of removals suggests an uncertain future for other popular comedy series which feature similar techniques, though many are still available to watch on streaming sites.
Friday’s decision by Netflix to remove Lucas and Walliams’ two series sparked anger from subscribers to the service, who were annoyed when they discovered the two shows had been dropped.
Will these TV shows and films be pulled from streaming services too?
After HBO Max pulled Gone With The Wind and Netflix axed The League of Gentlemen amid the George Floyd protests, attention has turned to other films that now be at risk of removal.
Chiefly among those are several classic Disney movies hosted on the Disney+ streaming service.
They include Dumbo (1941), Swiss Family Robinson (1940 and 1960), Fantasia (1940), Peter Pan (1953), Lady and the Tramp (1955), The Sign of Zorro (1958), Jungle Book (1967), and The Aristocats (1970).
Dumbo contains racist stereotypes of African Americans at the time in the form of black crows, who use jive-like speech patterns.
The main bird is even named Jim Crow, a nod to the racist segregationist Jim Crow laws of the time, and is voiced by a white actor.
Disney’s 1941 classic movie Dumbo
Swiss Family Robinson airs on Disney+ with a warning
As of last November, all of the above classics air on the streaming network with the warning that they ‘may contain outdated cultural depictions’ or that it may contain footage of characters smoking.
No further measures have yet been announced as Black Lives Matter protests spread globally, but bosses are expected to turn their attention to other films with the aforementioned Disney films seemingly most at risk.
The service already does not show 1946 film Song of the South because of its dated racial stereotypes.
Disney chairman Bob Iger said earlier this year: ‘It was just not appropriate in today’s world.’
Old Warner Brothers cartoons, such as Tom and Jerry, already air with a warning about cultural sensitivity.
One movie that is not expected to ever be available on streaming is Birth Of A Nation (1915) – the DW Griffith film hailed as the birth of cinema.
The film portrays the Ku Klux Klan as sympathetic characters.
Journalist and former MEP Daniel Hannan was among those to speak out.
He wrote: ‘There is an unbearable smugness in rushing to condemn Ali G, Bo’ Selecta or other shows that were fine until the day before yesterday. As if to say, ‘You all thought this was fine, but look – I’m more sensitive than you’. Hmmm. Maybe you’re just more priggish.’
But the company is understood to have believed it was the right thing to do.
The move is likely to lead to calls for more outdated shows that may be seen as racist to be removed.
Those angered by the move said they were ‘fuming’ and ‘gutted’ at the decision.
Some viewers complained they were in the middle of watching the series.
One viewer said people should be able to make their ‘own choices’.
But others have expressed growing unease about watching sketches which featured the comedians wearing make up to portray different races, amid claims it was offensive.
One viewer said they were ‘shocked’ that it had been available.
In Little Britain, David Walliams wore make up to play health-spa guest Desiree DeVere. In Come Fly With Me, he played ‘passenger liaison officer’ Moses Beacon and airline boss Omar Baba, while Lucas’ characters included coffee shop worker Precious Little.
The BBC’s iPlayer was airing the first series of Little Britain which included a scene where the pair were made-up to look like blackface entertainers. But has now taken the series down.
A spokesman for the BBC said: ‘There’s a lot of historical programming available on BBC iPlayer, which we regularly review. Times have changed since Little Britain first aired so it is not currently available on BBC iPlayer.’
BritBox, the streaming service from ITV and the BBC, which had been showing three series of Little Britain, has now also removed the show.
It said last night: ‘Times have changed since Little Britain first aired, so it is not currently available on BritBox. Come Fly With Me has not been available on the service for six months.’
There had been a mixed reaction to Netflix’s decision to remove both Little Britain and The League of Gentlemen from the service.
One user said on Twitter: ‘League of Gentlemen has been removed from Netflix for use of blackface.
‘There are no words.’
Another wrote: ‘Absolutely furious that Little Britain and Come Fly With Me have been taken off Netflix.’
‘Little Britain and Come Fly With Me have both been removed from Netflix….so now I can’t watch these shows because you don’t like it?,’ said a third.
‘I want to live in a free country and make my own choices. Not an oppressive regime where I’m told what I can and can’t watch.’
But another viewer said on Friday: ‘I’m guilty for watching Little Britain and Come Fly With Me and looking past the black face but we all must face up and accept this was unacceptable and it’s still shown on Netflix.’
Another person speaking at the end of last week told Netflix: ‘Take Little Britain down.
‘Please do not endorse a show which perpetuates stereotypes of minority groups and makes a laughing stock of people who have to fight for basic equality within life.’
This comes after comedian Leigh Francis tearfully apologised for impersonating black stars on his show Bo’ Selecta.
He said he had been thinking about his Channel 4 show and had not realised at the time how offensive it was.
A Channel 4 spokeswoman said: ‘We support Leigh in his decision to reflect on Bo Selecta in light of recent events and we’ve agreed with him to remove the show from the All 4 archive.’
Could the axe swing on more of Britain’s favourite comedies?
Bo’ Selecta
Leigh Francis said he was ‘deeply sorry’ for the way he impersonated stars such as Trisha Goddard
Comedian Leigh Francis tearfully apologised for impersonating black stars such as Craig David, Trisha Goddard and Michael Jackson on his programme. Talk show host Trisha said it ’emboldoned a lot of casual racism’ while popstar David insists it ruined his life. Bo’ Selecta is no longer on All 4 but remains on Prime Video.
The Simpsons
Apu has come under fire for perpetuating racial stereotypes
Hank Azaria announced earlier this year he will no longer voice Indian immigrant and Kwik-E-Mart owner Apu on The Simpsons after 30 years. The South Asian character has come under fire for perpetuating racial stereotypes. The Simpsons is broadcast regularly on Channel 4 and can be streamed on Disney+.
Ruddy Hell! It’s Harry and Paul
Nelson Mandela was parodied in Harry and Paul’s sketch show
Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse faced criticism in their sketch series for their depiction of Nelson Mandela appearing on adverts selling various narcotics and promoting shoplifting.
Rising Damp
The character of Rupert Rigsby has also been criticised, but creator Eric Chappell defended him by saying he ‘was not a racist or a bigot, but he was prejudiced and suspicious of strangers’. There were also jokes about Leonard Rossiter’s character having a black medical student as a tenant. Rising Damp is still available to watch via Prime and ITV Hub.
Facejacker
The prank call show often featured accents
Channel 4’s show about prank calling often featured accents from ethnic minorities. Star Kayvan Novak previously said: ‘There’s a weird thing going on at the moment where the more extreme politics and people’s opinions get, the more it seems that comedy on TV is all about playing safe and not offending anyone, when it needs to hold up a mirror and go ‘this is what’s going on now’.’
Only Fools and Horses
Even perhaps Britain’s most beloved sitcom of all time has had to edit old episodes to remove politically incorrect dialogue, such as an episode where Del told a child to ‘pop down to the P**i shop’ – a line no longer broadcast in repeats.
The Two Ronnies
Another one of the nation’s all-time favourites. Many have felt uncomfortable about a sketch titled ‘The Sheikh in the Grocery Store’, which features Ronnie Corbett wearing dark makeup and an Arabic keffiyeh, mispronouncing the names of items on his shopping list. The Archway School in Gloucestershire had to apologise for showing the clip to parents after complaints were made.
Fantasy Football League
David Baddiel as Jason Lee
Ex-Nottingham Forest star Jason Lee, who was often a target of ridicule on the 90s show, said David Baddiel’s depiction of him was ‘a form of bullying’.
The Mighty Boosh
Noel Fielding as ‘The Spirit of Jazz’
Noel Fielding portrays ‘The Spirit of Jazz’ – a black, dreadlocked character in the BBC series, sparking much discussion over racism. Fielding has also been in hot water after a picture emerged of him painted black while dressed as tennis star Bjorn Borg.