Philippine ambassador demands public apology over 'racist' Harry Enfield maid sketch » Communities » 24dash.com

The Philippine ambassador in London is demanding a public apology from the BBC over a Harry Enfield sketch in which a man urges his neighbour to "mount" a Filipina maid.

Writing to the chairman of the BBC Trust Sir Michael Lyons, Edgardo Espiritu brands the sketch a "malicious and blatant display of racial prejudice".

In a separate letter to the Press Complaints Commission he calls for an investigation into the matter and asks for "remedial measures" to be taken.

The sketch was broadcast as part of the Harry And Paul show on BBC1 on September 26 and repeated on BBC2 on September 29.

The BBC has received 54 viewer complaints, all in the past two days.

During the sketch, a man can be seen urging his lethargic neighbour to have sex with a Filipina maid, who is wriggling provocatively.

Enfield's character tells a passing postman: "Our chums up the road wanted to see if we could mate their Filipina maid with our Northerner but he's not having any of it."

He encourages the neighbour, saying: "Come on Clyde, mount her."

And he tells the maid, wearing a grey uniform and apron: "You, you, present your rear."

A BBC spokeswoman said: "We have still not received any formal complaint from any embassy or Government body.

"When the official letter comes through to the BBC we will deal with it according to the correct procedures."

A spokesman for Tiger Aspect Productions, which makes the show, said:
"Harry And Paul is a post-watershed comedy sketch series and as such tackles many situations in a comedic way.

"Set in this context, the sketch in question is so far beyond the realms of reality as to be absurd - and in no way is intended to demean or upset any viewer."

But the ambassador's letters, dated October 3, say: "Such portrayal and stereotyping of Filipino women as domestic workers and sex plaything is not only egregiously insulting to the Filipino community in the UK. It is also very malicious and is a blatant display of racial prejudice.

"Not only did the show give a bad impression of Filipino women. It also portrayed British employers as perpetrators of exploitation of young women, vulgarity and immoral activities, using their employees, in this case, the domestic worker, as a sex toy."

The ambassador called for a public apology from the BBC for airing the show as well as apologies from the producers and scriptwriters.

An embassy spokeswoman said: "If Tiger Aspect intended the episode to be a joke, we were definitely not amused.

"Just for the record, Filipino domestic workers in the UK command one of the highest if not the highest salary among their counterparts. They are highly regarded by their employers because of their work ethics and their trustworthiness."

The embassy was joined in protest by the Philippine community.

Michael Duque of the Philippine Foundation launched a petition of complaint which by 5pm today had received almost 700 signatures.

He said: "The sketch went beyond humour. It was below the belt."

The full-time nurse said the feeling was that Filipinos were being "specifically targeted".

The Foundation said it too would send a formal complaint to the BBC, along with the petition, which accuses the show of "inciting stereo-typed racial discrimination" and calls for the "re-education" of the BBC.

There are also plans for a silent vigil of protest at White City.

In the Philippines, foreign secretary Alberto Romulo summoned British ambassador Peter Beckingham to discuss the matter.

The British Embassy in Manila was forced to issue a statement saying the BBC had editorial independence and the views expressed and portrayed by the network "are completely independent" from the Government.

It said Filipinos in Britain "are an important part of British society, making invaluable contributions to our scientific and service sectors, and enriching UK culture".

Enfield, 47, was crowned Loaded Legend at an awards ceremony last week.

He said in an interview that producers stopped him from using other controversial characters, including a Muslim hoodie and a paedophile Catholic priest.

Neither Enfield nor Paul Whitehouse were immediately available for comment today.