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Daily Mail
May 12, 2014
The BBC was accused of ‘appalling’ double standards last night after forcing a veteran DJ to quit after he innocently played an old version of The Sun Has Got His Hat On which featured the ‘N’ word.
David Lowe was ordered by bosses to ‘fall on your sword’ – even though Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson kept his job when he appeared to mumble exactly the same racist term.
Mr Lowe lost his job after playing a 1932 version of the song, performed by Ambrose & His Orchestra, on his Sunday night golden oldies show on BBC Radio Devon.
Unknown to Mr Lowe, a popular presenter who has spent 32 years with the BBC, the second
verse features the line: ‘He’s been tanning n****** out in Timbuktu, now he’s coming back to do the same to you.’
The BBC took action after just one listener complained to say he was ‘horrified’ by what he heard.
But last night the Corporation faced a storm of protest over its treatment of the 68-year-old host, who had immediately offered to apologise on air when he realised his ‘genuine error’.
Friends and colleagues rallied to his support, while fans used Twitter to express their incredulity.
Roy Corlett, Mr Lowe’s former boss at BBC Radio Devon, said: ‘To end David’s career in this way when Clarkson was given a rap on the knuckles is absolutely appalling. It is an outrageous way to treat a loyal and distinguished employee. You couldn’t wish to meet a nicer man.’
And another former Radio Devon station manager, John Lilley, added: ‘It is a tragic end to a 32-year career with the BBC. I think what they did to David was disgraceful. He is a lovely man and has long been known to his colleagues as the Gentle Giant.’
Rejecting Mr Lowe’s offer to apologise, BBC executives instead tried to silence him saying: ‘We prefer that you don’t mention anything about last week’s broadcast.’
Then they asked if they could announce that he wanted to leave to ‘pursue other interests’.
But unwilling to cover up the incident, Mr Lowe refused, and was pointedly ignored when he repeated his desire to apologise to his listeners.
‘But regrettably, I think we will have to accept your offer to fall on your sword to resolve this situation.’
In contrast, Mr Clarkson, who has a history of making offensive remarks on air, was let off without even a suspension. Yesterday it emerged that Mr Clarkson was saved from disciplinary action by the intervention of director-general Tony Hall.
Yesterday lunchtime – after being contacted by The Mail on Sunday – the BBC appeared to undergo an abrupt change of heart over Mr Lowe.
It said in a statement that the situation ‘could have been handled better’ adding: ‘We have offered David Lowe the opportunity to continue presenting his Singers And Swingers show, and we would be happy to have him back on air.’
