'Cricket? It's a fag's game'

Asked for his opinion on cricket, the 82-year-old said: ‘Oh, cricket? It's a fag game. What are you, nuts?’

He then mimed holding an imaginary cricket bat effeminately.

The comment, broadcast on Network Ten, comes just over a year after he called a member of his production team an ‘illiterate faggot’ on his annual muscular dystrophy telethon. He later issued an apology for that comment.

Corey Irlam, spokesman for the Australian Coalition for Equality, said: ‘Lewis is a world-renowned comedian but clearly this wasn't funny.’

But the comedian's Australian spokeswoman said Lewis did not intend to comment on the latest controversy.

Lewis is due to tour down under with a show featuring comic sketches, anecdotes about his long career, archvie footage and songs, backed by a 24-piece orchestra.

Published: 26 Oct 2008