By John Talliday-
Coronation Street is facing an Ofcom investigation, following more than 400 complaints in response to a ‘racist’ comment made as part of the scripted play.
The popular soap came under fire last month, after many viewers claimed a remark made by Eva Price, who is played by Catherine Tyldesley, was reported t be racist.
In the episode , Eva Price, visit’s Audrey’s hair salon, where she says: ‘I have more roots than Kunta Kinte. No idea who that is, by the way, just something my mum used to say.’
Kunta Kinte is a fictional character from the novel Roots: The Saga Of An American Family, which was adapted into a hit TV miniseries in 1977.
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It is based on a real-life ancestor of author Alex Haley, and tells the story of a young man who was captured from Gambia and sold as a slave.
The highly offensive comments were broadcast on August Bank Holiday Monday, but the episode received 472 complaints made to the media watchdog, Ofcom.
APOLOGY
The programme producers have apologized for the dialogue, but such an apology comes too late. Ofcom have confirmed their intention to investigate. A spokesman said: ‘We are investigating whether a comment made by a character in Coronation Street was offensive and breached generally accepted standards.’
INCENSED
Several viewers were incensed with stupid remarks, and took to social media to complain, one angry follower wrote: ‘@Ofcom sort out @itvcorrie !!! Promoting racism smh! Coronation street best issue an apology!’
An apology is not good enough for such a stupid and obviously racist comment. Some heads should roll- and it will most likely be the writer of the script.
The disappointing news comes only 24 hours after Coronation street, Marc Anwar, was fired for racist comments against Indians, despite the idiot being of Pakistani origin- a minority group, all of whom are expected to know much better, having been victims of racism themselves for generations. Police have announced today, Monday, that they are investigating Anwar’s racist comments, which he made on twitter.
Exactly what punishment can be meted out to Coronation Street remains to be seen in light of the shockingly insensitive and racist comments which was broadcast on air.