True, good point. I'd hate to see him go but people have been sacked from the BBC for less. I think Laila has behaved so well through this whole this as well.

He should get kicked out and a stand in dancer brought in for Laila.

Maybe she can win Shelpa Shetty style

Anton apologised after calling Laila a 'terrorist.'

But he didn't learn from his mistake did he?

Thinking he can get away with saying what he likes because he can later apologise isn't good enough.

I think Laila would probably want to avoid a situation like this - hence her 'getting on with it'.


Absolutely.

I wonder if he thinks, because he's a joker, he can get away with this....?

Imagine the uproar if Jimmy Jordan had said this!

I really feel for Laila because I cannot now see how they can get the chemistry needed to win. Although, perhaps as an actress, she'll be able too.

Evidently not.

I don't envy Anton's poor PR man today, he must be having kittens.

Or even Bruce!

For me, Anton has lost his comedic touch this year. I find his attempt at wit irritating and a little embarrassing. The same goes for his other TV appearances. Maybe the BBC tried too much too soon with him and he feels out of his depth.

However, I am surprised he has used this highly offensive word considering how much trouble Prince Harry was in for saying the same. His first comment was as bad. There are things you do not say, even in jest - and he surely knows this.
I suppose the BBC didn't want this to come out, but now it has, they will probably have to comment. They can't just ignore it now.

can certainly see and understand if the BBC dump him - I can't see any way for him to be allowed to stay to be honest despite saying sorry. Other presenters and contestants have said similar and been thrown off shows - he should too - though I feel sorry for her

"It was a joke" is the classic response by a bully asked to explain his/her behaviour.

No mention of this on the BBC early evening news, wonder if the other stations will cover it?

A lot will also depend on the other people involved in all levels of the show. Anton may find himself subjected to a backlash at several different levels.

I expect the papparazzi are outside his house even as I type......

He should n't have said it. He acted the idiot. I'm one of his biggest fans so I think enough is enough. He has apologised, it would seem Laila has forgiven, but maybe not forgotten , hopefully he has learnt his lesson. He can act the buffoon at times but is usually loveable with it. I'm sure he regretted it as soom as he reliased he should not have said it. But surely we can take it in the way it was meant after all Laila had just had a fake tan put on as some people don't actually see coloured people as coloured they are just the person they are looking at. I'm one of those people so perhaps Anton is as well. I can see through a skin colour.
We are too much of a PC world now and are very quick to want to take someone down for comments etc. Some posters on here have a grudge with Anton from years back and are dragging that up as well. After all he is of mixed race as well so I don't think he meant any harm.
Perhaps we should look at it this way. If Laila is prepared to get on with things (I'm sure she dealt with him when she felt up to it) perhaps we should as well.

This could be their year. She is good at dancing he seems to be enjoying her company as a dancing and lets face it according to the papers she can hold her own!!

Oustanding post!

1. He didn't learn his lesson after the terrorist comment. What makes you think he has now?

2. What's politically correct about an Asian individual not wanting to be called racist names? Seems perfectly reasonable to me.

3. Anton has not only offended Laila, but members of the audience too. So it's not simply a matter of her forgiving him.

4. I've been a longstanding fan of Anton's and am very disappointed in his behaviour so I don't believe this is just an opportunity for his detractors to stick the boot in.

5. Is Anton really mixed race?

Any chance Claudia will discuss this on it takes two ths week?

Also the hate words are used by the minorities themselves as a form of re-appropriation of those words,drwaing their venom,in an almost satirical way.

Problem is,some think it is licence to use those words generally.It aint.

Du Bekes' problem is that he has fame beyond his intelligence.

He's just not very bright,or sophisticated,despite his bow -ties.

And doing this while working for the BBC-well,I cant help thinking he's now a Dead Man Dancing...

Bang goes his chances to replace Bruce. Which is good news for John Barrowman.

I feel this is really true. This goes on with my group of friends and I personally don't get offended but to an outsider looking in who is Pakistani, they feel very offended.

And sosomode makes an excellent point. If someone calls an Asian person who is not a Pakistani a.... they do feel a lot more offended. It is not just because of tensions between the different type of Asians though, it is more the loss of identity and the knowledge of it having harmful connotations.

And Fatima205, he good as admitted it in his apology.

Then again, Lets look at what Johnathin Ross said nearly a year ago in the phone message to Andrew Sachs. Later he went on to infer some slurs against homosexuals on the radio. He is still working for the BBC. I don't condone at all what Anton said if the story is true. But sacking him might seem inconsistant when compared to what toerhs have done.

Dead Man Dancing !! LOL Tex
Bet James Jordan is mighty glad he didnt trip up this time .

Yes. This is way out of all proportion. He made a mistake, but that doesn't make him a racist. If he was a racist he would hardly advertise it when in a dance competition of this magnitude anyway. Astupid thoughtless comment doesn't merit all the hysteria on here! People are being manipulated by the gutter press who may have their own agenda. I don't think Anton has an agenda. He's been a fool, but that's about it as fair as I am concerned. I'd like to see everyone's 'private' converstaions and see how many so-called slurs are shown up and how many faux pas are made, not necessarily to do with race, but unintentionally hurtful to people's feelings if made known.

Only today someone's husband has been diagnosed with epilepsy and when I mentioned to another friend that his wife had been worried about him for some time, the friend said mindlessly "Well, she got her wish, didn't she?" as if to say she had brought it about in some way.

Now how would the wife take that remark if I repeated it to her?

The BBC are now in a dilemma- they cannot ignore this and Bruce certainly cannot make a joke out of it on Saturday as he usually does for negative press..
Unfortunately it is a serious error of judgement or a mistake - call it what you will. Such things are taken very seriously, regardless of whether people think it has been blown out of proprtion or not. You just can't afford to say this word these days. Maybe Anton will get away with it, but he can't put another foot wrong.

There must be a grain of truth in this story otherwise Anton wouldn't have apologised. It was a stupid thing to say and he has at least been quick to apologise. He also had the courage to make the comment in Lailla's company, when she could slap him down (literally, I would hope). For these reasons, the comparisons with Carol Thatcher are wrong: she refused to apologise and didn't direct the comment at the French tennis player in person. Not that will stop the Daily Heil launching a campaign to have him sacked ...

This does, of course, present the BBC with a dilemma: does it replace Anton with Matthew (and I for one would love that)? It's an obvious solution to a problem which may well turn into the elephant in the room if it's left unacknowledged. Or does Anton's apology negate this scenario? It certainly won't be enough for the Heil and its evil cohorts.

What's missing in all of this is, of course, the bigger picture. Who was the individual who leaked the story to the NOTW? If they are a BBC employee, will they be punished? They are technically in breach of contract, after all ...

But, of course what is driving this is the Murdoch empire's renewed determination to destroy the BBC - which is really what this story, and all the others, are all about ... And with Anton's gaff, they have a means of attacking two shows - Hole In The Wall and Strictly ...

Idiot!

He still made a racist remark, whether he be a racist or not. I don't feel that this has been taken out of proportion or there is mass hysteria. This is about morals. Whether said in jest, or whether it be offending or not, racist remarks are never right. To let this go and ignore the issue would not be right at all.

I feel like I'm repeating myself when I say that this comment doesn't offend me... HOWEVER there is a case here which cannot be taken lightly and the BBC must set an example to society as it has the responsibility to. It must highlight that racist remarks in all contexts are wrong.