A BBC radio DJ has been sacked in the UK, after tweeting a picture of a monkey while talking about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's son.
Danny Baker posted a black and white photo showing a well-dressed man and woman holding hands with a suited chimpanzee.
He then captioned it: "Royal baby leaves hospital".
He deleted the post and subsequently wrote: "Sorry my gag pic of the little fella in the posh outfit has whipped some up. Never occurred to me because, well, mind not diseased".
"Soon as those good enough to point out its possible connotations got in touch, down it came. And that's it."
He subsequently tweeted: "Would have used same stupid pic for any other Royal birth or Boris Johnson kid or even one of my own.
"It's a funny image. (Though not of course in that context.) Enormous mistake, for sure. Grotesque.
"Anyway, here's to ya Archie, Sorry mate."
Now Sky at the door.
Would have used same stupid pic for any other Royal birth or Boris Johnson kid or even one of my own. It's a funny image. (Though not of course in that context.) Enormous mistake, for sure. Grotesque.
Anyway, here's to ya Archie, Sorry mate.#Occam #Razor— Danny Baker (@prodnose) May 9, 2019
Following his original tweet, other users reacted with anger.
@nick_BLM wrote: "All those people defending #DannyBaker saying they can't see the connection between black people and sick racist monkey comments try being a black kid at school for a while! #RoyalBaby".
In a follow-up tweet, Baker simply said: "Just got fired from @bbc5live. For the record - it was red sauce. Always."
Just got fired from @bbc5live.
For the record - it was red sauce. Always.— Danny Baker (@prodnose) May 9, 2019
He also claimed the corporation 'threw him under the bus'.
The call to fire me from @bbc5live was a masterclass of pompous faux-gravity. Took a tone that said I actually meant that ridiculous tweet and the BBC must uphold blah blah blah. Literally threw me under the bus. Could hear the suits knees knocking. #Fuckem
— Danny Baker (@prodnose) May 9, 2019
While Irish comedian Dara Ó Briain, who has worked at the BBC, said he was "genuinely amazed" that Baker was fired.
What? Danny Baker got fired? But he immediately apologised and deleted the tweet! I mean, literally, in the event of mistakenly causing offence, what else can you do? Genuinely amazed by that.
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) May 9, 2019
61-year-old Baker had presented a slot on BBC Radio 5 Live.
A BBC spokesperson said: "This was a serious error of judgement."
The corporation added that Baker's tweet "goes against the values we as a station aim to embody.
"Danny's a brilliant broadcaster but will no longer be presenting a weekly show with us."
Asked earlier if he felt let down by the BBC's decision, Baker told Sky News: "No, I just feel let down that people think I meant it."
