Exec's four-letter outburst

The BBC has apologised after a senior executive insulted Ronnie Corbett in an offensive email.

Doug Carnegie, the editor of The One Show, sent the sweary message after the 79-year-old comedian pulled out of the programme.

In response to an internal email passing on the news that Corbett had pulled out of a planned appearance on the show, Carnegie fired off the two-word reply: ‘Little cunt’.

But one member of the production team was so offended that they forwarded it to the Daily Mail.

Once Carnegie found out the email had been leaked, he contacted Mr Corbett's agent with an apology.

The BBC said they would not comment on ‘private and leaked correspondence’.

Published: 13 Jan 2010