Mike McShane apologises

The BBC has apologised after comic Mike McShane dropped the F-bomb live on a Sunday morning Radio 4 show.

The Whose Line Is It Anyway? regular swore on the Broadcasting House programme just before 10am – and immediately apologised for the slip.

He was talking about race in comedy, and said: ‘The thing about race in America is that black folks have always known more about white folks than white folks have known about black folks because black folks were cleaning our fucking houses.’

The live audience at the Edinburgh Fringe laughed slightly, before McShane hastily added: ‘Sorry, I’m sorry for that language.’

Host Paddy O'Connell also made an on-air apology immediately, and a BBC spokesman later said: ‘We apologise for any offence caused.’

Published: 22 Aug 2011