Keith Lemon actor Leigh Francis has apologised for playing black people in his 2000s Channel 4 show, Bo' Selecta.
Using masks, the white actor created exaggerated versions of Michael Jackson, Craig David and Mel B. Leigh says that when the show started, in 2002 he"didn't think anything about it." In the show, white stars like Kelly Osbourne, Elton John and Lorraine Kelly were also portrayed in a similar way.These have been in response to the killing of unarmed black man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis."I've sat and thought about things and what I could post to try and help things," Leigh says in a video posted to Instagram.
Why?
Snowflakes offended by everything
Make sure you dont play any 'offensive' white characters in future then Lemon!!
He shouldn’t be, Mel B and Craig David in Bo Selecta are some of the best things I’ve seen in television to this date.
🤔🤔🤔🤔 what is all this race issues got to do with what is going on in the world
Well, Lemon has now lost me as a viewer. What a patheric idiot
If this is the case all Hollywood actors who have played black or coloured people in a film now need to apologise...?.....🤔🤔🤔🤔
That’s nothing. I’ve had to go through life being called a Scot, sweaty sock, jock, porridge gobbler. I now demand that Russ Abbott gives a full and unreserved apology for his portrayal of my ethnicity in his “hey jimmy” character!
I’m sorry he is sorry.
Never liked the man since he 1st aired on tv.
It's racist to make fun of black people. But it's definitely not racist to treat them all like children who are so weak, fragile and über-sensitive that they basically need to be removed from comedy altogether.
Sorry, all the way to the bank
What a sad day😢 humour is officially dead😞
lol!! made a buck Lemon. All contrary now you Melon
Certainly took his time to apologise and what timing too! Was he really sincere or just going along with the popular news agenda to maintain his popularity?
Never been and never will be funny so move on
All I can say is Lorraine kelly end of
Give me a break 🤷♂️🙄
This is tragic. And the fact that he even thinks he has to apologise shows just how bad things are at the moment.
Lost any respect by coming out with this statement.
FFS
I'm offended that he isn't apologising to white people for taking the piss out of us! Might go looting just cos I can! Need a new tele! 🙄
Tbh i thought he was crap
Keith I am not a fan at all of yours but for once I think you are genuine and I Thankyou for this do something that puts something right or makes a difference
Can we please get an apology for the character Avid Merrion as it's racist against people with ginger hair
What a load of bullshit
I wish to apologise for eating Robinson's jam back in the 70's
I wonder if Al Jolson would also be sorry if he was still alive?
I’m getting the name...Jolson
This is going too far now, if your sorry for the coloured characters also be sorry for the white characters you may have offended white people with. This is comedy and should have no political correctness case to answer LeighFrancis grow a pair of big northern hairy balls FFS
The least talented person on tv
F the characters. He’s just offensive to anyone with an intellect.
What about black comedians who have impersonated white people?
So he has made his fame and fortune by doing these characters. I assume then that he will be giving away all earnings and standing if he feels he is sorry?
Help me defend comedy by tweeting this hashtag DefendComedy comedy is under attack and we must defend it
As we grow we learn.. But not in America...
The media is trying to incite racial tension on behalf of corrupt rich people. This is sedition.
FFS! Will he also apologise for playing white characters? The worlds gone f*cking mad. It’s comedy.
Didnt he have a pop at everyone?
Oh FFS. It is now only a matter of time until Dan Ackroyd is cancelled for the bit on the train in Trading Places and Woody Allen is lynched for everything from Blazing Saddles to Spaceballs... 🤷♂️ The RSC will doubtless be next up with some airbrushing of their history? 👍
Bit late
He made his name off that show, is he going to give his millions away?
Never was into bo'selecta when it was on and couldn't stand proper crimbo. But there again I just don't think he was funny. Let alone the above information
Oh for fuck sake have I got to apologise for having a black car ?
That man never has been funny
FGS
What the actual fuck? What was offensive about it?
lemontwittor Please, everybody loved Bo Selecta. Why apologise? We love ya, now stop your skriking!
Is he sorry for playing offensive characters of white people I wonder? This is where equality breaks down why is it offensive to one set of people and not another. I thought the point was equality
For goodness sake peeps .. it’s called comedy .. you know - ha, ha an all that. Let’s concentrate on staying safe and living to tell the tale of this historic C-19 that were ALL going through. Luv ya Keith 🥰Hope to meet ya in Chapel Allerton when all this shit is over 🍻
The leigh Francis twitter account is still using these images. Go figure!
Craig doesn’t look offended.
Oh god!
What about offensive white ones? Do they get a mention?
Is it me, or are most BLM speeches and statements based on matters that occurred years ago? AllLivesMatter
Too late mate! Take a knee and put this in your mouth!
GGWhiffen
Mel B and Craig David didn't seem to have a problem with it !! They took it for what it was.... comedy.... and having a laugh... Will he be apologizing for the white characters ? Bears ? Kestrels ? 🙄
Crazy
Seriously I don’t know why he apologising specially when the people he impersonated don’t seem to mind. It would’ve been a different story if he had used black faces but he had mask on so i don’t see the issue there!!
So sad that they think they were upsetting people. Are they going to apologize for the white characters they sent up? No of course not! The world has gone so sensitive
Best time to get hold of Craig David is on a Sunday, when he’s chilling. Rest of the week he’s busy rutting.
But they are very funny!
If black people are okay with lemontwittor playing black characters then i'm fine with it. A lot of people said Goodness Gracious Me or Citizen Khan portrayed Asians in a bad way. Many of us Asians found it funny & not offensive. I don't remember a big backlash tbh.
That's cool but when is he going to apologise for Keith Lemon the movie?
Finally CraigDavid can get sympathy. After years of abuse of being offended by leighfrancis
Let's stop breathing altogether equally.
Fuck it, I don't care what people say or think about this. I accept your apology lemontwittor He speacked up about it, he knows it was a mistake.
Not that sorry I'm sure the paycheck help and you haven't actually donated to the same people you exploited and capitalised off
Another space cadet begging for forgiveness. Pathetic.
Just Apologies for being a shit comedian .
Everyone trying to save face now. From JimmyFallon to this dude.
Pardon me? He put them back on the box! Nothing to apologise for.
Get over it. Stop tiptoeing around shit
Keith lemon should say sorry for all his show 😠😠
PC gone made. Nothing offensive about it
Making the story all about him. He characterised white celebs too. The best thing he can do in the form of reparations to everybody white and black is take himself and his “humour” off screen for good.
should be saying sorry for not being funny
More likely to not watch him for doing this, not the impressions. Not that I ever have watched him.
Sorry, I'm not with this guy. He wasn't sorry at the time and has no reason to be. Yes, its distasteful now as a lot of old TV would be now... but you can't judge old stuff by today's standards. Keith Lemon's apology is disingenuous.
What about Fake Tan products! Are shops going to stop selling them?
Will he be apologising for all his other crap TV shows?
I want an apology from Steve Coogan for his ‘offensive’ character Alan Partridge for those living in Norfolk and also Lenny Henry for his Tiswas performances of a chinaman, also anyone who does anything ever.
Decency and honour.
Bo selecta was genius plain and simple... I don't know of any of the characters he played that ever complained... It was like spitting image as in if you were in it you'd made it. Can I have a rewind....
Spineless
I'm sorry I'm not sorry enough for all the sorrys I never knew I was sorry for! SORRY!
But profited from it for years before he decided it was more popular to jump on the bandwagon of hypocrites.
I wonder will shops stop selling fake tan products!
“Oh Patsy “
...but offensive white characters is still ok?! 🙄
So if a black person maybe lenny Henry was behind the mask and was that funny would it of had same effect on careers ? It's a satirical caricature mask not ' blacking ' up. Is lenny going to apologise for sending up David Bellamy and David attenborough
He needs to apologise for being on TV full stop
How about the two guys that played white women in white chick's? Wearing white makeup to play white women? Nothing then OK.
Is lemontwittor just jumping on the current bandwagon 🤔 those who have not heard of bo selecta will now searching for it on YouTube keeps lemontwittor more relevant I suppose
Why?
This was no better than having a minstrel on TV. Black face is not ok.
So all caricatures now racist? or does this basically boil down to caricatures of white people are still fine because of course we all know you can't be racist towards a white person.
..... it actually made Craiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig David..... more famous. But hey ho...... have it your way.
Craig David seems happy.
Now anything black is offensive. People need to get a grip. Its jokes... You know ha ha he he for pits sake.
Omg... Give me strength now ok BlackLivesMatter but common every little things now becoming a bit too much 🤷♀️
World has gone mad 😂😂
Ridiculous!! No one do anything as in 2040 people might be offended.
Pindrop silence from the BBC and BlackfaceBaddiel for destroying a young Black footballers career.
I'm confused.
I find the real craig david more offensive.
Worlds gone mad. Really?
When is his apology to the LGBT community scheduled to be released for his portrayal of Elton John?
Can you be sorry for being utter shite too?
Pathetic. Ridiculous. Stop grovelling. It is called 'acting'. Les Dawson forever!
Can he also apologise for not being funny?
Why now please..... is it not fashionable anymore?
He didn’t call the black characters offensive. He called what he did “offensive”. Get it right.
Nothing worse than a comedian apologising for being funny. Can I get a reee-wiiinnddd back to the last decade please?
The guy need to grow a pair🙄 PC gone mad!!! 😩
Who?
If he was purely imitating them & taking the mickey out of their personality/mannerisms it wouldn't be a race issue at all. But he mocked their race & culture, & took the mickey out of the 'black person' stereotype. Why add a Jamaican accent when the celeb doesn't have one?
Shit comedian. Not funny
Whole were at it. I demand an apology for all the noise adele has churned out over the years and that bloody awful reboot of ghostbusters 😭
Don’t apologise to them give them the money you earned from it.
When are the team of “Goodness Gracious Me” going to apologise for taking the Mickey out of whitey’s. it’s getting a bit stupid now
Erm, I didn't find the show funny, but I wasn't personally offended. ALL of the characters/caricatures were ridiculous in my opinon. I'm so confused🤦🏾♀️
Saying “he look well offended” needs to research this more, Craig David appeared on this to try to embrace the joke becos it was effecting his career. Ha he said how it was damaging his career he’d have been even more ridiculed by the public. It harmed a whole music culture.
Is he also now going to issue a heartfelt apology to Lorraine Kelly's minge?
This sort of nonsense makes things worse not better.
I'd rather he apologised for the unfunny,long past its sell by date,character of Keith Lemon.
He isn’t sorry. He has made a career out of it. Funny, but come on the guy was blacking up in masks and exaggerating racial stereotypes. No different to Jim Davidson and Chalky.
I’m not sure about this, he takes the piss out of everyone in equal measure, he is not the type of person to target someone just because of their skin colour.
Who?
He’s clearly upset some of his celebrity circle and has been shamed into apologising to fit in. Many non-black characters on the show, so why turn this into another race issue.
Now who’s going apologise for putting a talentless took like Keith Lemon on TV in the first place? 🤔
I apologize for eating the last Rollo in 1997
What about the Mexican wolf Boys
Do you think the BBC will force these guys and girls to apologise for this skit about “Going For An English” or shall we all just agree that it was just comedy about stereotypes and that it’s actually quite funny
Should we be moving towards a situation where comics can only lampoon people of their own race? Surely that's another form of segregation, drawing attention to skin colour?
Where they actually bothered though? Is Lenny Henry going to apologise for whitening up to portray Steve Martin three decades ago? I think Craig David's least concern about Bo Selecta was being portrayed by Leigh Francis.
Eee me minge is kickin out a right pong
Black Craig David however doesn’t seem v offended
Nice..at least the bigots can focus on Lemon for a while.. 👍🏿 BlackLivesMatter
...Just look at the pain in Craig David’s eyes...so very offended...
Bo selecta was class
🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️
Urban Fox! ‘Hekscuseme Mr Squirrel, can you direct me to the nearest Nando’s please’ Hilarious!! People are WokeAF
No words
Racism and taking the piss out of someone is completely different, I’m black and don’t find Kieth lemon racist at all,he takes the piss out of all colours.
What’s shocking is that my uncle still watches Bo' Selecta! DVDs. The thought of him watching this theatre to oppression and bigotry enrages me to my core.
Apology accepted
If he mocked them for their colour the fair do to apologise, but using various people who happen to be a different race in your comedy isn’t racist.
About time
Why? 😶
So when’s he gonna apologise to bears then soon maybe 🙄oh dear
He made millions out of this and almost ruined some careers
Ohhhhhhh. FUCK. OFFFFF.
You will never understand ✌🏾
As throughout history what isn’t acceptable now was perfectly acceptable then. When is Rome going to apologise for enslaving us? When is Scandinavia going to apologise for all the rape and pillage? I still haven’t recovered.
So is also expected to apologise for the white celebrities he caricatured? This whole thing is becoming a joke in itself
I feel I should apologise on behalf my country and for there disgraceful behaviour during zee war
Please stop the virtue signalling
Can we get an apology from the Wayne Brothers?
FFS it’s satire we don’t live in North Korea or Stalinist Russia
An actor acting. Have the Senegal football fans apologized yet for 'Whitening up' at the World cup in Russia? Why did the BBC consider that just to be a bit of fun when it was blatant racism. Just imagin the outcry if England fans had 'blackend up'.
The title of the show is a form of blackface. Beware, fragile people ahead.
Mr Scott, One to beam up. Now would be a good time.
2020. The year comedy died. We can't even have a new series of Little Britain.
For fuck sake 🙄
Literally did a show recently. Absolutely nothing wrong with it and no one was bothered then. 🤷♂️ this is just getting silly
so its OK to play 'offensive' white characters, then. What does this say about ACTING. what about 'inoffensive' what about 'kind', 'wise', etc. DIM
Utter garbage - do we expect Lenny Henry to apologise for his impressions of Tommy Cooper, Max Bygraves, Frank Spencer & David Bellamy - or should he only apologise for mimicking black people like Frank Bruno, or is it only ok for black people to imitate black people?
Lemon. Bit yellowist.
What next? Ali G to erased from history?
Oh FFS bloody snowflake alert
I’d he’d only played white characters he’d of been called racist....if people were that offended they wouldn’t of gone on his other show “celebrity juice”
It looks like he has managed to offend himself in the absence of any formal complaint. Maybe he has finally and completely morphed into his alter ego knob that is Keith Lemon.
Come on you can’t be serious? What lemontwittor did was harmless fun and he actually did a show with Mel B. Love thy neighbour, Til death do us part, funny back in the day but not now obviously but with Keith, I think we’ve now lost the plot completely if this becomes an issue.
Guess David Walliams/Little Britain will be next on the chopping board 🙄🤦🏻♂️
Ffs, its the past. Shall we ask for forgivness for everything we do..get over it.
🤦🏼♀️🤡
1.. He is called Leigh Frances. 2.. In know way were the characters racist. They were just a piss take of the public image portrayed by the actor or singer. Mel B & C David appeared with Frances. I understand that Davidsons comedy was & is racist but this was never about colour.
But made how much money from it? Get real!!
And hoping to keep his ITV job.
Thanks, Leigh. Now how about apologising for playing ‘not-in-any-way-funny’ characters of every colour?
Oh FFS
Proppa bo
This is so ridiculous, seriously. There's amusing characteristics in ALL people. So does he need to only create white characters? What about gender, hair colour, height, weight? 🤔
Help Julian Assange He is in jail, in solitary confinement, in poor health condition, with no access to his legal team Please push the word to help him
Absolutely ridiculous, he played all sorts of characters!!!!!!!!
Thanks BBC. You and your Socialist employees are encouraging this crap. We knew News was screwed. Music is too with the left elevating a guy who sings about drugs guns and bitches apparently being some sort of role model. Comedy was being chipped away. Now it's done.. cheers
Pathetic
But its ok to make fun of white people Very disappointed
What about everyone else?
You are not funny IMO also how about the AWFUL Racist and sexist remakes you constantly make. Better find that rock and crawl under it and dont ever come back and take the unfunny Mrs Brown with you.
Leigh Francis should be more sorry for the unfunny crap he’s done after Bo’ Selecta
Keith Lemon is exactly that...a lemon. Everything he does is offensive.
Why everyone dose it blacks bring it on themselves enough of Floyd ps I'm not racist bthete is a limit
Fuck sake 🤦♀️
He also played “offensive” white characters 🤷🏻♂️ What a twat
Oh dear me. Ffs
Offs.....Keith lemon you did nothing wrong, it was comedy, you were playing a character not making making fun of the skin colour, so should league of gentleman apologise to old ladies for making fun of them. The worlds gone mad....comedy should not be brought into it.
I demand an apology for anyone that ever interacted with me. Offensive and I am deeply hurt and scarred. Want recognition and compensation. And protest
Don’t think Lee has been racist, but has endorsed racial stereotypes. That is also part of the problem. If stereotyping is endorsed, it fuels other such behaviour and gives people the green light to continue in their, perhaps racist manner. Well done for speaking out, Lee.
Hey, it's called 'acting' it's your job to be offensive if it's being scripted.
How about RealMattLucas and davidwalliams for littlebritain sketch
Whilst hugging his bafta awards and huge bank balance. Yeah tears of a clown for sure.
Get a grip!
Finally some real news.
The worlds gone mad. I may aswell apologise for pissing in a Bush back in 2008 while I'm here.
This is so boring and pathetic/ This man who died was arrested for theft and hitting a pregnant women but is some hero
Craig didn't give a f
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