Thatcher axed over golliwog remark

Feb 3 2009

Carol Thatcher will no longer be working on The One Show, the BBC has announced.

Her future with the programme was questioned after she referred to a tennis player as a "golliwog".

The daughter of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher made the remark after filming the show last Thursday during a conversation with presenter Adrian Chiles and several guests.

She was immediately challenged about the remark, but only apologised on Sunday and dismissed the comment as a "joke".

A BBC spokesman said: "We will no longer be working with Carol Thatcher on The One Show."

The remark was made during a conversation about the Australian Open tennis tournament, in reference to a player who had recently been knocked out of the men's singles draw.

Thatcher - crowned Queen of the Jungle in the 2005 series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! - was a regular contributor to the TV magazine show and the programme's website praised "her dry, self-deprecating wit and tenacious spirit".