Trisha Goddard has spoken out after Leigh Francis publicly apologised for his racist depiction of her on his Noughties show Bo’ Selecta!.
The former talk show host, 62, said the comedian, 47, was ‘absolutely horrified’ to learn how her daughters, Madison, 27, and Billie, 30, endured ‘vicious bullying’ from classmates due to the caricature portrayed on the show.
The Channel 4 series, which aired between 2002 and 2006, featured Francis portraying a series of celebrities; including Michael Jackson, Craig David and Trisha by wearing face masks to impersonate them.
Her say: Trisha Goddard has spoken out after Leigh Francis publicly apologised for his racist depiction of her on his Noughties show Bo’ Selecta!
Speaking on BBC Newsnight on Thursday, Trisha said: ‘I hated it, I have only recently discovered how bullied my children were in Norfolk over the character.
‘Let me be clear on this, if the parody was just of me, that would have been one thing, but it was the big lips… all the things that every black child has been bullied about.
‘I can laugh at myself, I’ve had people joke about me. But it was the racial over-the-top; the big lips, the big wide hips, the rice and peas.’
Controversial: The Channel 4 series, which aired between 2002 and 2006, featured Francis portraying a series of celebrities; including Trisha
Protective: The former talk show host, 62, said the comedian, 47, was ‘absolutely horrified’ to learn how her daughters endured ‘vicious bullying’ due to the caricature (pictured in 2006)
Heartache: Leigh took to Instagram last week amid the Black Lives Matter movement to say he was ‘deeply sorry’ for the way he impersonated black stars
‘I felt sick’: Trisha revealed she couldn’t watch the show because she found it too upsetting
Trisha revealed she couldn’t watch the show because she found it too upsetting.
Of her upset, she said: ‘Leigh kind of knew because I know Craig David had an issue with his portrayal, he really did But that’s for Craig to speak to.
‘But a couple of times I did bump into Leigh. My daughter reminded me, she was with me once I couldn’t even talk to him I felt so sick.’
Leigh- best known for his alter-ego Keith Lemon- took to Instagram last week amid the Black Lives Matter movement to say he was ‘deeply sorry’ for the way he impersonated stars such as Michael Jackson and Craig David on the show.
Hurt: Trisha said: ‘Let me be clear on this, if the parody was just of me, that would have been one thing, but it was the big lips… all the things that every black child has been bullied about’
Trisha said: ‘In his defence he had a long telephone conversation with my daughter who told her what she went through.
‘She told him about the trolling, bullying, the viciousness as a direct result and he was horrified, being a father himself. He was absolutely horrified.’
Following Leigh’s apology, Channel 4 have removed Bo Selecta! from their archives on 40D.
Trisha has now accepted his apology, while Billie thanked Leigh and said his declaration and said: ‘It was 100 per cent the right thing to do’.
Noughties show: The series featured Francis portraying a series of celebrities; including Michael Jackson (pictured)
Leigh sent a private apology to Trisha and in an emotional Instagram video said: ‘I didn’t realise how offensive it was. I just want to say sorry for any upset I caused whether I was Michael Jackson, Craig David, Trisha Goddard.’
In light of awareness being raised in regards to the Black Lives Matters movement, Leigh tearfully admitted it made him rethink and said he simply ‘didn’t realise how offensive it was back then’.
In the video, the Celebrity Juice host said: ‘My name’s Leigh Francis. I play a character called Keith Lemon on television. It’s been a weird few days, I’ve sat and thought about things and what I could post to help things.
‘Back in 2002, I did a show called Bo’ Selecta, I portrayed many black people. Back then I didn’t think anything about it, people didn’t say anything- I’m not going to blame other people.
‘I’ve been talking to some people. I didn’t realise how offensive it was back then.
‘I just want to apologise, I just want to say sorry for any upset I caused whether I was Michael Jackson, Craig David, Trisha Goddard, all people I’m a big fan of. I guess we’re all on a learning journey.’
Leigh was among the 25m people who took part in Blackout Tuesday on social media for the Black Lives Matter movement, following the senseless death of George Floyd.
George, 46, an African-American man, died on May 25 after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes in Minneapolis. His death has sparked days of demonstrations across the nation over police brutality against African-Americans.
Great loss: The movement comes after the death of African-American George Floyd, 46, last week, who passed away after Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck