Complaints after series returned to iPlayer

The BBC has defended a Little Britain sketch of charges of racism after the comedy was restored to iPlayer.

The Corporation received complaints about the David Walliams character Linda Flint, a university counsellor who always describes the student sitting in front of her in offensive terms such as ‘Ching Chong Chinaman’.

In response, the BBC said the skits were ‘intended to expose and ridicule some of the outdated prejudices and racism that still exist in parts of British society’ – adding that the intent was ‘more apparent’ if you watch a whole episode or series.

And it added there was a warning on iPlayer about the  discriminatory language in the relevant episodes.

The sketches were left in the show even though some of the more controversial creations were edited out when it was made available on demand last month. The character of Desiree DeVere, for which Walliams  donned  black makeup and a fat suit, was axed, as was Ting Tong, the Thai bride played by Matt Lucas.

At the time, the BBC said the pair made the edits to ‘better reflect the changes in the cultural landscape over the last 20 years since the show was first made’.

Published: 8 Apr 2022