The mum of a Scottish Love Island contestant who 'blacked up' as Mr T for a Halloween party has defended her son and said he is no racist.
Anton Danyluk, 24, was pictured dressed up as the A-Team star for a Halloween party he attended with pals.
The snap, from 2013, appeared on The Ranch Facebook page which shows Anton wearing dungarees, big gold jewellery, a fake mohican and with his face painted.
The picture led to calls for Anton to be axed from the show.
But the Airdrie gym owner's mum Sherie Ann, whose family are from Myanmar, in South East Asia, said her son would be "mortified" if he was labelled a racist .
The 55-year-old, from Blackridge, West Lothian, apologised to anyone who may have been offended by her son 'blacking up' for the fancy dress party.
She said: "Given that Anton has no right to reply, I wanted to take the opportunity to assure everyone that my son, who himself is of mixed heritage, is not a racist.
"As his mother I know he would be mortified to be labelled in such a way, and would wholeheartedly apologise to anyone offended by this picture.
"There was absolutely no racist intent and almost six years down the line, I know it’s not the way Anton would ever behave today."
Anton has a rich cultural background which includes Ukrainian and Italian grandparents on his dad’s side while his mum's grandfather, Maung, is from Myanmar.
In the snap he can be seen 'blacked up' as Mr T, aka Laurence Tureaud, who played B. A. Baracus in the 1980s television series The A-Team.
After seeing the picture, Former Love Island contestant Marcel Somerville told the Sun : "It’s racist. For him to stay on the show now without repercussions is not OK."
"I find blackface extremely offensive and there’s no place for it in any situation."
Love Island contestants are currently in a media blackout ahead of the Love Island launch tomorrow night.
Love Island series five hits our screens on Monday at 9pm on ITV2.
