Carol Thatcher has been fired by the BBC for refusing to apologise for making her 'golliwog' remark on The One Show. The BBC asked Carol to formally apologise for comments she made backstage to host Adrian Chiles in which she compared a tennis player in the Australian Open to the golliwog symbol once used on pots of jam. Carol, 55, was said to be furious at the request and claims the remarks were an innocent joke. Carol told the Daily Mirror: "I'm completely baffled by all the fuss that's being made about this. I really am." The BBC wrote to Carol explaining that they had received several complaints and demanded an unreserved, formal apology. "The BBC considers any language of a racist nature wholly unacceptable," said executives in a statement. Following her refusal to apologise the BBC confirmed: "We will no longer be working with Carol Thatcher on The One Show." But her removal from the programme does not mean she is banned from the BBC as a whole. Carol – winner of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2005 – has defended her comments claiming that they were made in a 'private conversation'. A spokeswoman said: "This was a conversation between Adrian and Carol and the comments was meant as a joke. It's disgusting that we've had a leak of private conversations in the green room. The BBC has more leaks than Thames Water.” "There's no way she would condone any racist comment. It would not be in her nature to do anything like that," she added. Get exclusive access to your favourite stars. Subscribe to TV Times magazine
