Baker referred to the decision as “faux-gravity”
BBC presenter Danny Baker has hit out at those whose complaints prompted the national broadcaster to sack him from BBC 5 Live over a tweet about the child of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle which was deemed racist.
The tweet in particular showed a man and a woman either side of a chimpanzee in a suit, holding its hands, accompanied by the caption “Royal baby leaves hospital”.
There was an immediate backlash from other users of the social media platform who deemed the photograph and caption as ‘racist’ and presumably referring to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s mixed race child Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.
Baker insisted that the “stupid pic” would have been used by him had it been any other Royal birth, or even Boris Johnson’s child, saying:
“Now Sky at the door. Would have used same stupid pic for any other Royal birth or Boris Johnson kid or even one of my own. It’s a funny image. (Though not of course in that context.) Enormous mistake, for sure. Grotesque. Anyway, here’s to ya Archie, Sorry mate,” he said.
Now Sky at the door.
Would have used same stupid pic for any other Royal birth or Boris Johnson kid or even one of my own. It's a funny image. (Though not of course in that context.) Enormous mistake, for sure. Grotesque.
Anyway, here's to ya Archie, Sorry mate.#Occam #Razor— Danny Baker (@prodnose) May 9, 2019
After apologising, Baker angrily hit out at what he described as a “masterclass of pompous faux-gravity” that led to his dismissal.
“The call to fire me from BBC 5 Live was a masterclass of pompous faux-gravity. Took a tone that said I actually meant that ridiculous tweet and the BBC must uphold blah blah blah. Literally threw me under the bus. Could hear the suits’ knees knocking,” he wrote.
The call to fire me from @bbc5live was a masterclass of pompous faux-gravity. Took a tone that said I actually meant that ridiculous tweet and the BBC must uphold blah blah blah. Literally threw me under the bus. Could hear the suits knees knocking. #Fuckem
— Danny Baker (@prodnose) May 9, 2019
Baker returned to BBC 5 Live in 2008 having previously been a presenter on the service in the 1990s.
