Outrage as comedian Harry Enfield says ‘c**n’ live on BBC Radio 4

Harry Enfield sparked outrage today by using the word ‘c**n’ live on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme as he defended dressing in blackface.

The comedian used the racial slur during a debate about the use of blackface in comedy with comedian and writer Ava Vidal on the breakfast show amid ongoing Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the United States. 

Enfield was challenged on dressing in blackface by host Nick Robinson and his response sparked outrage on Twitter on Thursday.

Both Enfield and Paul Whitehouse have faced criticism in their sketch series Ruddy Hell! It’s Harry and Paul for their depiction of Nelson Mandela appearing on adverts selling various narcotics and promoting shoplifting.

Enfield said on Radio 4 when asked about the connotations the use of blackface gives: ‘Let me tell you, Nick, obviously Al Johnson or GH Elliot, who played the Chocolate Coloured C**n in the 1930s – they perpetuated the myth of the happy negro who was just very happy to sing under the crack of the whip, the American whip or the British imperial bayonet and obviously that’s deeply offensive and always will be.’

Robinson replied: ‘Just to be clear, Harry, because there will be people offended by that term you just used. You’re using it in inverted commas. Let’s not repeat it, but it’s a term that was used at the time.’

Enfield responded: ‘Well, that was his name on stage. But I’ve played Margaret Thatcher, John Major, Tony Blair, David Cameron – four prime ministers. Say Rishi Sunak became prime minister, I would find it difficult that I would not be allowed to play him because of the colour of his skin.

The debate comes after Little Britain being removed from Netflix, BBC iPlayer and BritBox amid concerns that the use of blackface characters on the series is no longer acceptable. 

Regarding the depiction of Mandela in Ruddy Hell! It’s Harry and Paul broadcast in 2007, Enfield added: ‘At the time, there was a lot of things in the paper about drugs, so I made him a drug dealer, or a peddler of alcopops to children and things like that, which I thought was so wrong it was alright. I wouldn’t do it now, but I don’t think I regret it.

‘I definitely think there should still be a conversation about it.’  

Enfield was condemned by listeners on social media for his comments on the programme.

One Twitter user wrote: Listening to Harry Enfield saying ‘c**n’ on @BBCr4today (‘but that’s what he was called!’) is not really how I wanted to start the day.’

Following the interview Vidal wrote on Twitter: ‘Tim Nice But Dim.’ Not a character. Who tf knew?!’