Viewers' fury as Beeb backs Beke

FURIOUS Strictly fans have bombarded the BBC with complaints following our revelations that Anton Du Beke called his celeb dance partner Laila Rouass a "Paki".

Some viewers have questioned why the Corporation is standing by dancer Du Beke when Carol Thatcher was sacked earlier this year for describing a black tennis player as a "golliwog".

READ: STRICTLY RACE ROW

Despite a grovelling apology from Du Beke, hundreds of fans have contacted the BBC voicing their anger and demanding tough action.

We reported on Sunday how Du Beke, 43, blurted out the offensive term when he saw actress Laila after she had a spray-tan at the BBC studios.

He told Laila, 38 - whose mum is Indian and dad is Moroccan: "Oh my God, you look like a Paki."

His racist outburst was witnessed by 15 other people including fellow pro dancer Brendan Cole. Laila was so stunned she could only walk away.

Du Beke initially denied making the remark but later changed his tune, saying: "During the course of rehearsals Laila and I have exchanged a great deal of banter entirely in jest, and two weeks ago there was an occasion when this term was used between the two of us.

Disgust

"There was no racist intent whatsoever but I accept that it is a term which causes offence and I regret my use of it, which was done without thought or consideration of how others would react.

"I apologise unreservedly for any offence my actions might have caused."

His apology has not stopped calls for the BBC to take disciplinary action.

Anti-racism campaign group Hope Not Hate says his comments are worse than those made by Carol Thatcher.

A spokesman said: "If calling someone a Paki is not racist behaviour then what is? Quite simply the programme has to ask itself: is it going to condone racism on its show, or is it going to deal with it quickly and decisively?

PARTNERS: On last Saturday's show

"The BBC took a clear line on the Carol Thatcher golliwog comment. If anything, this comment is even more offensive."

Last month we told how relations between the Du Beke and Laila were already frosty - after he called her a terrorist when he heard she had Moroccan heritage.

At the first meeting between the celebs and dancers he told the former Footballers' Wives star: "Oh no! You're not a terrorist are you?"

But Laila has since graciously accepted Du Beke's apology saying this week: "We've moved on."

The Beeb is standing by Du Beke, a rising star at the corporation and the man tipped to replace Bruce Forsyth as Strictly host.

A Beeb spokesman said: "The BBC does not condone offensive language in the workplace."

Blundering Bruce Forsyth lookalike Du Beke - who's also host of the BBC's celeb game show Hole In The Wall - was brought up in Sevenoaks, Kent, but has a Spanish mother and Hungarian dad.

He took up dancing when he collected his sister Veronica from a class and realised it would be a great way to meet girls.

Later he gave up football in case he damaged his legs.

In 2004 he started on Strictly but caused controversy last year when he said: "I've no time for fat people, they should all be shot."

The same year Strictly was embroiled in another race row when hundreds of viewers complained that talented black celebs were being booted off while white stars with "two left feet" stayed in.

Other infamous telly race rows include the bullying of Shilpa Shetty on 2007's Celeb Big Brother which involved tragic reality star Jade Goody.

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