Comic admits career is over

Jim Bowen's showbusiness career lies in ruins today after he called a black woman a "nig-nog".

The 65-year-old made the remark on his Radio Lancashire programme The Happy Daft Farm.

Although he claimed "no racial connotation was intended," he was forced to resign from the BBC station, and admits he never expects to work again.

He told the Lancashire Evening Post: "In this business you don't actually retire. What happens is that the phone stops ringing."

Bowen immediately apologised on-air for the comment, before resigning from the programme.

He said: "When a 65-year-old is employed he brings with him a certain amount of baggage from his era and sadly sometimes this doesn't sit well in 2002.

"The expression I used would identify with the youngsters who were last to be picked in a football team or perhaps weren't the sharpest knife in the box."

"The BBC management have always treated me with respect and generosity and it just seems a pity that this one lapse in discipline has given the senior echelons a problem.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "He tendered his resignation and this has been accepted."

Bowen, a former club comic, shot to fame through TV series The Comedians and darts quiz Bullseye.

Published: 8 Oct 2002