Channel 4 has removed Bo’ Selecta from their streaming service All4 following Leigh Francis’ apology for playing black characters in the show.
Francis, now best-known for his character Keith Lemon, played several black celebrities on the show, including Michael Jackson, singer Craig David and talk show host Trisha Goddard.
Channel 4 has now confirmed to The Sun that the series was taken off its streaming service All 4 last week.
“We support Leigh in his decision to reflect on Bo' Selecta in light of recent events and we’ve agreed with him to remove the show from the All 4 archive,” a Channel 4 spokesperson said.
Goddard had contacted Francis about his use of blackface on the show after he had posted a black square on Instagram while taking part in Blackout Tuesday.
The television presenter told The Sun that Francis’ use of dark-skinned latex masks to make caricatures of her had left her feeling “hurt, distaste and disgust.”
Francis subsequently apologised in an Instagram video, in which he said he had “done a lot of talking and learning.”
“It’s been a weird few days, I’ve sat and thought about things and what I could post to try and help things,” he said in the video.
“Back in 2002 I did a show called Bo’ Selecta, I portrayed many black people. Back then I didn’t think anything about it, people didn’t say anything, I’m not going to blame other people.
“Been talking to some people, I didn’t realise how offensive it was back then.
“I just want to apologise, I just want to say sorry for any upset I caused whether I was Michael Jackson, Craig David, Trisha Goddard, all people I’m a big fan of. I guess we’re all on a learning journey."
