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Sir Trevor McDonald has hit out at the cast of Mrs Brown Boys for a “crude, offensive, and insulting” joke reportedly made during filming.

Earlier this week it was reported that work on the episodes were “halted” after Brendan O’Carroll made a “clumsy” joke where a “racial term was implied” during rehearsals. The term has not been officially disclosed.

A Black crew member on the show has reportedly resigned following the incident.

The 69-year-old Irish writer and actor told PA: “At a read-through of the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas specials, there was a clumsy attempt at a joke, in the character of Agnes, where a racial term was implied.

“It backfired and caused offence which I deeply regret and for which I have apologised.”

McDonald said that the joke “couldn’t have been said without a desire to hurt and insult, really. It’s not even funny” in an interview with the Daily Mail.

One of the most familiar faces on TV, the broadcaster became ITN’s first Black reporter in 1973.

“I would probably have very harsh words with the person who said that,” he said when asked how he would handled the situation.

“And said the society and the community in which we live regards that sort of stuff as unnecessarily crude and offensive.”

However, he said he wouldn’t cancel the production, which has split audiences with its presence on the annual Christmas schedule for years.

The Independent’s Nick Hilton gave the previous New Year’s Day special a zero-star review, writing: “Observing that it’s unfunny is like observing that the sea is wet.”

The show is still popular, with more than four million tuning in last Christmas, but there have still been calls to reassess the programming in recent years, since critics say it is outdated, nauseating and unfunny.

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A BBC spokesperson said: “While we don’t comment on individuals, the BBC is against all forms of racism, and we have robust processes in place should issues ever arise.”

It comes as a resurfaced clip from O’Carroll’s interaction with Tyler Perry from 2018 was branded “racist”.

While appearing on The One Show in 2022 alongside Perry, O’Carroll said that Mrs Brown’s Boys had never had anyone of Perry’s “colour” feature on the show before.

Bret Baier started off his Wednesday evening interview with Kamala Harris with a barrage of combative questions about immigration, designed less to elicit substantive answers than to prove what a tough guy the Fox host could be.

His aggressive approach was understandable, in a way, since Baier had been under pressure for days from the Donald Trump faithful; they were convinced he was going to go easy on the Democratic nominee for president, and maybe even allow her campaign to edit the interview or see the questions in advance.

So, Baier came out guns blazing, barely allowing the vice-president to finish a sentence before jumping in with objections and arguments.

After 10 minutes of playing immigration “gotcha”, Baier pivoted to the obvious next subject, airing a video clip in which Harris expressed support for transgender people in prisons.

Immigrant hatred. Transphobia. And later, Joe Biden’s age. Baier was running through the Fox News greatest hits playlist.

This was grievance theater, not political journalism.

But Harris got in her licks. She had her moments.

Chiming in afterwards in what some saw as corporate damage control, Baier’s colleagues on Fox News gushed their approval. Martha MacCallum termed Baier’s performance “masterful”, while Dana Perino analyzed the interview as “super good”.

I can’t imagine that too many viewers agreed. If they came to it expecting to learn more about Harris’s policies or get a true sense of her character, they would have been disappointed. That wasn’t the game plan, and it wasn’t the result.

But Harris accomplished something anyway.

Merely by sitting down with a Fox host, she made a few statements.

First, that she is unafraid and is willing to speak to all voters. It’s hard to imagine Donald Trump, these days, submitting to an interview with, say, Rachel Maddow of MSNBC; just this week, he turned away from a CNBC interview, and earlier canceled a CBS News 60 Minutes agreement.

Second, Harris did manage to introduce a few snippets of reality to dedicated Fox viewers who probably haven’t been exposed to some of the most troubling criticisms of Trump.

“That he’s unfit to serve. That he’s unstable. That’s he’s dangerous,” was how she characterized what millions of Americans are feeling. “And that people are exhausted.”

She even was able to mention, at some length, the harsh view of the former commander-in-chief from Mark Milley, who served in two top military roles – including chair of the joint chiefs of staff – during the Trump administration.

Milley has called Trump “fascist to the core” and has said that no one has ever been as dangerous to the United States.

So maybe this was what one leading expert on Fox News, Brian Stelter, called the Harris campaign’s “Google strategy”. On CNN, Stelter speculated that viewers might hear these comments and go searching online for more, thus piercing the information bubble they’ve been living in.

No doubt, the vast majority of regular Fox viewers have their minds made up – they’re sticking with Trump. No matter his mental decline. No matter his felony convictions. No matter the threats he makes or the threats he poses.

But there may be a small percentage of the millions who tuned in who – despite all the noise and interruptions – managed to hear a reasonable, intelligent and stable alternative to Trump. Maybe some of them live in the key swing state of Pennsylvania, where the interview was recorded, or in Wisconsin or Michigan.

In this coin flip of an election, even that tiny adjustment might make all the difference.

THE Masked Singer has been commissioned for another TWO series – and a surprise new spin off programme.

TV presenter Joel Dommett is set to take to TV screens once again to front the sixth series of the hit ITV competition.

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A host of secret star names are set to take to the stage once again in the ultimate primetime guessing game.

The popular singing programme, which sees celebrities hidden under elaborate character masks, has also secured a seventh season.

On top of this, it will also be getting a new spin off series called The After Mask, hosted by Kiss radio star Harriet Rose.

It will feature interactions with the celebrity panel, host Joel, and unmasking interviews with contestants.

Rose will also provide extra gossip from behind-the-scenes, including insights into the show’s production.

The show will be available across on-demand, social, and digital channels including ITVX and YouTube.

A host of secret star names are set to take to the stage once again in the ultimate primetime guessing game.

Recording for the series of The Masked Singer kicked off on September 24 at Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire, the same location as Dancing On Ice.

The likes of Davina McCall, Mo Gilligan and Jonathan Ross will return.

Filming for the show will take place across eight dates after the commercial broadcaster confirmed there will be another Christmas special.

Four celebrities will once again battle it out in front of the star-studded panel for the holiday crown.

Last year saw McFly singer and guitarist Danny Jones storm to victory as the Piranha.

He beat out the likes of Alex Brooker and noughties star Lemar after Davina McCall correctly guessed the identity of the star name.

This comes after The Sun revealed that there will be a huge change to the panel for the upcoming series.

Last year saw the likes of Nicole Scherzinger, Olly Murs and Jennifer Saunders fill in for Rita Ora on the show as she had other filming commitments in the US.

Rita has been a judge on the celebrity competition programme since its inception in 2020.

Instead, Love Island host Maya Jama is poised to join the panel after Rita Ora quit the show after five series due to a mystery film project.

A TV insider said: “This is a huge deal for Maya, who’s now one of telly’s fastest- rising stars. It puts her in front of a huge Saturday night audience every week on a show watched by everyone from kids to pensioners.

“Up to now she’s had a following which is very young due to Love Island, but signing for The Masked Singer would take her career into a whole new league.”

Rita previously appeared on the panel of The Masked Singer US when she filled in for Nicole Scherzinger.

The former X Factor judge was in the London production of musical Sunset Boulevard.

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Comedian David Baddiel has called out the “fake outrage” over Thomas Tuchel’s appointment as the new England manager.

The German coach was officially named as the new Three Lions boss on Wednesday (16 October), replacing Gareth Southgate, who resigned after failing to win last summer’s European Championship in Germany.

Tuchel, who managed Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021, is the third foreign manager to take charge of England, following in the footsteps of Fabio Capello and Sven-Goran Eriksson, who died earlier this year after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

The 51-year-old will not start in the job until 2025 but the news has already ignited a debate about another foreign coach managing England, especially due to the nation’s longstanding football rivalry with Germany.

Baddiel, who famously sang “Three Lions”, has called out some of the fury surrounding Tuchel’s arrival after appearing to be trolled due to his Jewish faith.

The 60-year-old said: “Re: Thomas Tuchel and some people’s fake outrage. My mother was born in Nazi Germany and had to flee for her life – I’m OK with it. So f*** off.”

Baddiel also highlighted one user who asked if international managers should coach the nations that they are from. In response, he said: “Were people saying all this during Sven and Capello? Or is just something about a German that brings it out? In which case I refer you back to my original tweet.”

In response to the Tuchel news, former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville said: “I do think we are damaging ourselves by accepting that Thomas Tuchel is better than any of the other English coaches. With the English coaches that have managed in the upper echelons of the league with Eddie Howe at Newcastle and Graham Potter, I do think there are outstanding coaches that could have been appointed that were English.”

“I’d have given the job to Lee Carsley,” the former England stirker Gary Lineker told The Rest is Football podcast. “I have seen enough to suggest to me the players really trust him.”

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“And he is imaginative enough to produce something that is a joy to watch, is entertaining and front-footed football. I’d have gone for Lee Carsley (but) it is not my job to pick people like that.

“‘I really liked him. But I could tell he knew he was not getting the job. I suspect between his first camp and sometime before the Greece game [he knew].

“I would have [appointed him] because I would have looked at the recent history of international football, the two winners of the last two international tournaments [Spain’s Luis de la Fuente and Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni] had no real experience of coaching outside the national set-up.”

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A Black crew member has reportedly quit Mrs Brown’s Boys after the lead actor on the BBC sitcom made a racist joke during the filming of this year’s Christmas specials.

Earlier this week it was reported that work on the episodes were “halted” after Brendan O’Carroll made a “clumsy” joke where a “racial term was implied” during rehearsals. The term has not been disclosed.

The 69-year-old Irish writer and actor told PA: “At a read-through of the Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas specials, there was a clumsy attempt at a joke, in the character of Agnes, where a racial term was implied.

“It backfired and caused offence which I deeply regret and for which I have apologised.”

A BBC source has since said to The Mirror: “How is it that they [the junior member of staff] are no longer on the show but Brendan is? The whole thing is messed-up.”

The source added: “The BBC takes the matter extremely seriously and Brendan also takes the matter extremely seriously. Brendan is under no illusion about this. We have made it clear what the consequences of any future issues would be.”

The BBC investigated the incident and halted rehearsals, which have since resumed at the corporation’s Pacific Quay studios in Glasgow. It is understood that the specials are still scheduled to air on BBC One this festive season in their usual Christmas Day and New Year’s Day slots.

On the matter, the performing arts and entertainment trade union Equity has said in a statement: “No working person should be subjected to racism when doing their job. Employers must realise the obligations they have and create safe, anti-racist workplaces.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “While we don’t comment on individuals, the BBC is against all forms of racism, and we have robust processes in place should issues ever arise.”

It comes after the iconic newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald condemned the incident. The 85-year-old told the Daily Mail: “I find it in every way crude and offensive and insulting. It couldn’t have been said without a desire to hurt and insult really. It’s not even funny.”

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When asked what action the BBC should take, McDonald said: “I would probably have very harsh words with the person who said that. And said the society and the community in which we live regards that sort of stuff as unnecessarily crude and offensive.”

Mrs Brown’s Boys has been a controversial presence on TV Christmas schedules for many years, and typically provokes strong reaction from viewers and critics.

The Independent’s Nick Hilton gave the previous New Year’s Day special a zero-star review, writing: “Observing that it’s unfunny is like observing that the sea is wet.”

The show is still popular, with more than four million tuning in last Christmas, but there have still been calls to reassess the programming in recent years, since critics say it is outdated, nauseating and unfunny.

THE trailer for Danny Dyer’s new movie Marching Powder has been released – and it looks like not one to miss.

There are plenty of fights, drug taking and raunchy sex scenes in the upcoming film.

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Marching Powder, written and directed by Nick Love, is due to hit our screens in March 2025.

The trailer has given a sneak peek on what to expect.

It starts with actor Danny, 47, talking to camera with some suspicious substance in his hand – and a group of men fighting in the background.

“I’m here to introduce my new film,” Danny says.

“It’s a gentle lovely little rom com called marching powder.”

He then stops and shouts at the men: “Oi mate, oi mate pipe down,” before sniffing the suspicious substance.

Danny then explains what the movie is about.

He continues: “The film is about a couple who are trying to save their marriage, it’s under strain because of the husband’s going struggle with drugs and…”

However the group behind him carry on arguing, so he goes to shut them up by beating them up.

Danny then walks back up to the camera and sarcastically says: “Here’s the trailer for Marching Powder. It’s a beautiful film, very PG.”

At the start of the trailer, Danny’s alter-ego Jack Jones can be seen in court, where a judge tells him all the bad things that he has done – including fighting at football, possession of cocaine.

He is given six weeks to turn his life around or he’ll end up in prison.

Jack says: “I’ve f***ed it. My wife is going to leave me.

“I’ve turned my son into a lunatic. My mates think I’m a bore.

“My father-in-law is going to f***ing kill me!”

He continues: “I know I can become a productive member of society.

“I’m going to make her proud.”

In another scene Jack picks his son JJ up from school, and the young boy asks him if his mum is having an affair.

“She said that if you ever pick me up from school, means she’s either dead or run of with another man,” he confesses.

This isn’t the first time that Danny and Nick have worked together on a film.

They’ve also joined forces for The Football Factory, The Business, Goodbye Charlie Bright and Outlaw.

Undoubtedly, Danny’s performance in The Football Factory is his most memorable to date.

Revealing the darker side to “the beautiful game”, the ultra-violent movie follows Chelsea fan Tommy who lives for bloody brawls with ­supporters of rival teams.

Even though Danny is once again playing a drug-taking football ­hooligan in Nick’s latest film, Marching Powder, the director insists it is not a ­Football Factory sequel.

Nick explains: “It’s not a sequel. It’s a sort of reflection on what it’s like to be slightly washed up and middle-aged and then completely f*** your life up.

“People might think it relates to The Football Factory because it’s got Danny Dyer and it is made by me and it has got football violence in it, but that’s where the comparisons sort of finish.

“I think the most important thing is that it’s got more comedy.

“This is about the disintegration of the relationship and about a wife who’s had enough of her husband acting like a complete c***, from years of sniffing cocaine and fighting at football.”

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