Trevor McDonald blasts Mrs Brown's Boys N-word 'joke'

Sir Trevor McDonald has said the attempted joke at the centre of the Mrs Brown's Boys racism controversy was 'crude', 'offensive' and 'insulting'. 

The TV presenter, who was ITN's first black reporter, called on the BBC to have 'harsh words' with the show's star Brendan O'Carroll over the remarks.

O'Carroll, who writes and stars in the hit comedy series, allegedly 'implied' the N-word during rehearsals for the show's Christmas specials.

During a reading of the script while in character as Agnes Brown, O'Carroll is said to have said: 'I don't call a spade a spade, I call a spade a…'

He then started to utter the N-word before he was interrupted by a co-star. The incident is said to have taken place in front of co-stars and production staff.

Sir Trevor's comments heap further pressure on the BBC, which has yet to acknowledge the severity of the offensive slur.

Cast and crew were reportedly stood down while the BBC investigated what had happened. The rehearsals then resumed in Glasgow at the broadcaster's Pacific Quay Studios in Scotland. 

According to a report in The Sun, a junior worker was so upset by the 'joke' they subsequently quit.

Sir Trevor, 85, who was best known as the face of ITV's News at Ten, told the Mail: 'I find it in every way crude and offensive and insulting. It couldn't have been said without a desire to hurt and insult really. It's not even funny.'

He said an insult was 'always' on 'the receiving end'.

When asked what action the BBC should take, he added: 'I would probably have very harsh words with the person who said that.

'And said the society and the community in which we live regards that sort of stuff as unnecessarily crude and offensive.'

But he said he would stop short of cancelling the production.

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Earlier this week O'Carroll, 69, said: 'At a read-through of the Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas specials, there was a clumsy attempt at a joke, in the character of Agnes, where a racial term was implied. It backfired and caused offence which I deeply regret and for which I have apologised.'

His representative added: 'We would also like to clarify that the N-word was absolutely not spoken, it was implied.

'Agnes [Mrs Brown] began the word but was stopped from finishing it by her daughter Cathy, as she knew she would be.'

But there was criticism last night from one senior TV industry insider who questioned what would have happened if someone 'low down the pecking order' had made the same sort of remark.

They said: 'There is always the perception that there's one rule for "talent" – a word which Tim Davie [BBC director-general] recently banned, and one rule for the hoi polloi.'

This criticism is particularly sensitive for the BBC, as earlier this week Mr Davie said he was banning the word 'talent' as part of moves to stop people abusing their position.

The BBC's only statement on the issue said: 'Whilst we don't comment on individuals, the BBC is against all forms of racism, and we have robust processes in place should issues ever arise.'

Those who witnessed the remark were allegedly left 'shocked' by the slur. One newspaper reported that the issue was then raised with the BBC afterwards.

Mrs Brown's Boys has been part of the BBC's Christmas schedules for more than a decade. O'Carroll's character, known as 'mammy', is a foul-mouthed Irish mother.

A BBC source told the Mail that the corporation had made it clear to Brendan O’Carroll 'what the consequences of any future issues would be'.

The source said: 'The BBC takes the matter extremely seriously and Brendan also takes the matter extremely seriously.

'Brendan is under no illusion about this. We have made it clear what the consequences of any future issues would be.'