BBC radio presenter sacked over 'racist' phone call
BBC radio presenter fired over allegedly racist remarks off-air
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Tuesday, 11, Nov 2008 01:52
A BBC radio presenter has been fired after she made allegedly racist remarks during an off-air phone call.
Sam Mason, who began working on BBC Radio Bristol's weekday afternoon show in September, was suspended on Friday over the incident.
And she was informed on the following today that her BBC contract had been terminated.
The Sun newspaper claims the 40-year-old radio host told a Bristol taxi company "not to send an Asian driver to pick up her daughter".
She is said to have added: "A guy with a turban on is going to freak her out."
When her request was refused, the former HTV presenter is alleged to have replied: "You've managed it before."
She reportedly went on: "It's not your 14-year-old girl, is it?"
When the female operator told Mason it was racist to specify that she did not want an Asian driver, the presenter is thought to have replied: "If it were me I wouldn't care if it had two heads, but it's my little girl we are talking about."
The Sun claims the operator was so offended by the call that she passed a recording of the conversation to the newspaper.
A spokesman for BBC Bristol said: "Although Sam Mason's remarks were not made on air, her comments were completely unacceptable.
"For that reason, she has been informed that she will no longer be working for the BBC with immediate effect."