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APOLOGY: Darcus Howe

The BBC has apologised for a live interview in which respected Voice columnist, Darcus Howe was accused of taking part in the violent riots that have plagued parts of the capital.

During the offensive interview, in which Darcus was asked about his views on the unrest, news presenter Fiona Armstrong said:

“You are not a stranger to riots yourself I understand, are you? You have taken part in them yourself.”

Howe, a broadcaster himself, responded angrily, accusing Armstrong of showing a lack of respect.

He said: “I have never taken part in a single riot. I've been part of demonstrations that ended up in a conflict,

“Stop accusing me of being a rioter and have some respect for an old West Indian negro, because you wanted for me to get abusive. You just sound idiotic - have some respect.”

The BBC has since apologised for the interview after receiving a number of complaints from viewers.

The news channel acknowledged it had been a “poorly-phrased question,” but blamed it on the difficulty of live interviews and technical issues, which meant the pair talked over each other.

“We'd like to apologise for any offence that this interview has caused.”