The fox is innocent!
Police drop Basil Brush racism probe
Basil Brush is off the hook for his allegedly racist joke about gypsies.Travellers had complained to Northamptonshire Police that a sketch in his children’s TV show was racially offensive.
But hate crime officers have now completed their investigation and said no further action will be taken.
A police statement said: ‘This complaint has now been concluded to the satisfaction of all parties involved.’
The complaint was over a sketch in which a gypsy woman tried to sell Basil wooden pegs and heather
And when the woman – Dame Rosie – offers to tell the fox’s fortune, he said: ‘I went to a fortune teller once and he said I was going on a long journey.’
When asked what happened, Basil replied: ‘He stole my wallet and I had to walk all the way home.’
The programme was first shown six years ago – soon after the puppet first made his latest comeback - but it was its repeat on the digital channel CBBC on February 21 this year that raised hackles.
Published: 21 Mar 2008
