like carol thatcher was

Which one is Anton?

The one with the big chin and cheesy grin

I can’t believe people are calling for him to be sacked. What a nightmare PC tyranny you women are creating.

I dare say he realises it was a mistake, but it’s still just a word, save your fury or you won’t have any left for things that really matter.

If Laila accepted his apology then why should he have to answer to anyone else?

just searched him on google, and i used to like the guy! he's such an idiot for saying that, hate him now.

This is disgusting and outrageous he should be sacked. I have sent a complaint to the BBC and OFCOM. Not once but twice and they have the audacity to give this man his own show! Laila should be given a new partner as of course she has done nothing wrong and is the innocent party.

Someone who is decent at latin presumably?

Bloody hell

The NOTW article can't even get the details of Laila's parentage correct so definite pinch of salt time.

I'm with you on that!!!
Anton's an idiot for saying it but I honestly don't think he meant any offence at all. He just doesn't think before he says things which I know is no excuse. I would hate for him to be sacked and if Laila has accepted his apology then I think that's all there is to it as it's between them two.

So, it's only women who are offended by racism? And if racism doesn't matter then what does really matter?



You don't seriously believe that she's just accepted it as an apology and forgiven him? Any public figure, and private citizen, should have to answer to racism.

Aww, that ain't good.

very silly man

Should he be sacked??, I dont know

but if I had called someone the P word on this forum even in jest with smilie's I bet I would be banned

lol.

i dont understand the significance of the tan. she looks pakistani or middle eastern with or without the tan.

he knows shes of moroccan descent, so he could easily have called her an arab, but he said p*ki.

plus hes called her a terrorist. poor girl! im pakistani myself, have never been called a p*ki in my entire life and yet the indian shilpa shetty and moroccan laila rouass have been subjected to it in a public sphere.

maybe anton and the rest of the people who want to call people p*ki's should first check they actually are one first.

it was a silly word to use but if shes forgiven him we should let it go

If it is really is true then I do think he be sacked, I can't believe people are saying it doesn't matter and that it wasn't really racism. If calling someone the p word isn't racist then what is?

I agree the terrorist comment was Anton trying and failing to be funny but this is unacceptable IMO.

The story is true, here is his apology:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukp...ZM4dFgKY1lINJQ

"There was no racist intent whatsoever but I accept that it is a term which causes offence and I regret my use of it, which was done without thought or consideration of how others would react. I apologise unreservedly for any offence my actions might have caused."

Storm in a pc teacup.

I accept Anton du Beke should engage brain before opening mouth, we all should, but it's just a word (which means 'pure', by the way) and it's not as though he used it with rude f-word adjectives around it or while making obscene gestures or while breaking her windows. It's just a word.
It wasn't used in the public domain, it's only in the public domain because someone told NOTW about it. I wonder who that was.

No, no-one's ever called me a P..i ~ but in England I have been frequently discriminated against and been the butt of racist language because I'm not a P..i. It happens. Move on.

My thoughts exactly. It seems such a knee jerk reaction, almost as if some people are brainwashed to respond like automotons to anything of this nature.

Yes I agree, far too much is being made of this, if he had said you look like a paddy, taffy, aussie.....anything else, nothing would be said.

And when did it become wrong to write the word ****, what's with all 'the P word'.

Oh my God, I wrote the word and it has been starred out!

Considering Laila is half Moroccan and half Indian she isn't even of the ethnic group that the P word is aimed at, this makes me think someone might be making a bit of mischief here.

He said "You look like a ****" after she had just covered herself in fake tan.

Carol Thatcher was fired, so Anton should be too. I don't necessarily agree that he should be, but the BBC should at least be consistent on the matter.

Personally I hate that term and really dislike it when it is used casually - I hear people use the term to describe almost anyone from the "middle east" as a catch-all. There are other terms I dislike as well and would never use. I am continually surprised by the stupidity of people in the public eye - if they want to use that kind of language in their personal life, they should realise that NOTHING is personal for a high profile person these days and that there will be a camera or mic or witnesses everywhere they go. Unless they are purposely courting controversy, they should learn to keep their mouths shut. Also, as evidenced from previous cases where famous people have been "outed" for making this type of comment, they should realise that not all hangers on will be quiet about it and that it will eventually be made public.

It sounds like he made a stupid comment and then realised he'd done it and apologised. Let's face it Anton does sometimes say things that are inadvisable like his fattist comment. I'm not condoning his use of the term but I don't think he's a racist or being deliberatly offensive and the fact that Laila doesn't seem to be unhappy with him shows she is aware of that.

He's in his forties so is part of a less PC generation.