Is Catherine Tate's joke so offensive? | Tabloid accuses Nan of sparking 'a race storm' © BBC/Tiger Aspect

Is Catherine Tate's joke so offensive?

Tabloid accuses Nan of sparking 'a race storm'

The Daily Star is trying to whip up a race row around Catherine Tate's Nan.

A scene in her forthcoming Christmas special involves a scene in which her bigoted pensioner spots a Middle Eastern man wearing a taqiyah prayer cap and carrying a holdall.

After spotting the man at an anger management class, Nan says: 'Alright. No sudden movements. If this one has got anger problems we're all in trouble. I think we all just stay calm.'

After the man says he is a caretaker, the character breathes a sigh of relief, saying: 'Thank God for that. That was close, weren't it.'

The tabloid says 'BBC bosses have sparked a race storm' over the joke in the Nanger Management episode.

It quoted Birmingham Central Mosque chairman Mohammed Afzal saying: 'It is tarnishing Muslims with the same brush as terrorists. It's disgusting.'

And spokesman for the Islamic Centre of England added: 'This is very sensitive issue and will not be taken in a favourable way. It can just add unnecessarily to the problems.'

However the BBC say: 'Nan is a comedy character well known to BBC audiences for her outrageous views, language and behaviour. Her views do not hold accord with a more enlightened world as the programme makes clear.'

Elsewhere in the scene, Nan insults other characters for their weight, height and for wearing glasses.

The Daily Star has not always been so connected with political correctness. It has run front page headlines in the past such as : 'Muslim Thugs Burn Our Poppies', 'BBC Put Muslims Before YOU' ad 'Muslim Loonies Hijack Election'.

Published: 2 Dec 2015

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