Broadcaster Danny Baker gives apology over racist tweet

The broadcaster and comedian published the tweet - which is screenshotted below - leading to significant backlash, with many people pointing out the racist nature of associating a biracial baby with a monkey.

This is the tweet Danny Baker made I can't believe people are actually debating whether he should have been sacked. Racist pig. pic.twitter.com/IfLG9F13fP

— Stuart (@StuartGB1) May 10, 2019

Baker later apologies in a series of tweet, calling it an "stupid unthinking gag".

This morning, Baker published a lengthy apology on Twitter, saying: "Good morning, everyone.
Following one of the worst days of my life I just want to formally apologise for the outrage I caused and explain how I got myself into this mess.
I chose the wrong photo to illustrate a joke. Disastrously so.

"In attempting to lampoon privilege & the news cycle I went to a file of goofy pictures & saw the chimp dressed as a Lord and thought, "That's the one!" Had I kept searching I might have chosen General Tom Thumb or even a a baby in a crown. But I didn't. God knows I wish had.

"Minutes later I was alerted by followers that this royal baby was of course mixed race and waves of panic and revulsion washed over me. Fuck, what had I done? I needed no lessons on the centuries slurs equating simians and people of colour. Racism at it's basest.

"I am aware black people do not need a white man to tell them this. Deleting it immediately and apologising for the awful gaffe I even foolishly tried to make light of it. (My situation that is, not the racism involved.) Too late and here I am.

"I would like once and for all to apologise to every single person who, quite naturally, took the awful connection at face value. I understand that and all of the clamour and opprobrium I have faced since. I am not feeling sorry for myself. I fucked up. Badly.

"But it was a genuine, naive and catastrophic mistake. There is of course little media/twitter traction in such a straight-forward explanation. The picture in context as presented was obviously shamefully racist. It was never intended so - seriously who on earth would 'go there'?

"Anyway i am now paying the price for this crass & regrettable blunder and rightly so. Probably even this final word from me will extend the mania. ('Dog whistle' anyone?) I would like to thank friends on here for their kinder words and once again - I am so, so sorry."

Good morning, everyone.
Following one of the worst days of my life I just want to formally apologise for the outrage I caused and explain how I got myself into this mess.
I chose the wrong photo to illustrate a joke. Disastrously so.

— Danny Baker (@prodnose) May 10, 2019

The decision to fire Baker has led to a significant debate. Labour's Shadow Women & Equalities Minister Dawn Butler wrote to the BBC welcoming the decision to fire Baker, but called on the BBC to investigate whether black or mixed-race employees at the station had had negative experiences from engaging with Baker or anyone else.

Meanwhile, Irish comedian Dara O'Briain has called into question the decision, noting the Baker immediately apologised after deleting the tweet.

He tweeted: "What? Danny Baker got fired? But he immediately apologised and deleted the tweet! I mean, literally, in the event of mistakenly causing offence, what else can you do? Genuinely amazed by that."

Later, he added: "Also amazed by how many thought that by posting this, I was excusing the original tweet. Of course I wasn’t. The Irish had a century of that monkey shit too, y’know (cf Punch magazine). Ultimately, though, I’d like that to hope if/when I fuck up, you might accept an apology..."