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BBC issues apology after Len Goodman recalled his nan calling curry powder 'foreign muck' on jubilee show

BBC issues apology after Len Goodman recalled his nan calling curry powder 'foreign muck' on jubilee show
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BBC One

The BBC has apologised for Len Goodman's comment where shared how his nan described curry powder as "foreign muck" when he was on the channel's Platinum Jubilee coverage.

During the formerStrictly Come Dancing judge's appearance, he chatted with host Kirsty Young and Masterchef presenter John Torode where the trio sampled jubilee pudding, a lemon swiss roll and amaretti trifle created by Jemma Melvin.

Soon, the discussion turned to what food the guest made for the occasion as Young asked: "Everyone is serving up different dishes at their street parties, are you a cook, Len?"

"No, I’m hopeless, honestly. My wife did Coronation chicken yesterday for our tea and I've never had it before," the 78-year-old said.

"I've never had curry and curry powder, you know, my nan used to call it all 'foreign muck',

"I was always worried about it. But I must say, it was ridiculous. It was really tasty," he added.

Since Goodman made this remark, people have shared their outrage on Twitter - with some describing it as "casual racism" and "old fashioned British Empire xenophobia."







While others defended Goodman's comment, saying that he was quoting his nan, adding how she was from a different time and that people from this generation described food they were unfamiliar with in this way.




Elsewhere, some imagined how the comments when down behind the scenes.


Later on in the programme, presenter Clare Balding issued an apology for comments made earlier on in the coverage.

Balding’s apology was “related to remarks made during the section of the show” when Goodman was on, a BBC spokesman told The Telegraph.

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