Northern Ireland

Stephen Nolan apologises after caller to his breakfast show uses racist language

Mr Nolan immediately cut the caller off and apologised
Mr Nolan immediately cut the caller off and apologised Mr Nolan immediately cut the caller off and apologised

RADIO Ulster presenter Stephen Nolan has apologised after a caller to his breakfast show used racist language.

His programme was this morning discussing the next DUP leader.

Listeners were asked what they would ask candidates Edwin Poots and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson.

A caller - introduced as Darren from Belfast - said he would "like to ask both the prospective candidates a very, very basic question".

"How would they possibly deal with the n***** in the woodpile?"

Mr Nolan immediately cut the caller off.

"That is an outrageous and unacceptable language Darren," he said.

"Completely unacceptable, we unreservedly apologise for that language and if you ever, ever intend to come on this station again and use such language, you sir are not welcome.

"Go and educate yourself, how dare you use that language."

The exchange, which was shared on social media, was deleted from the show before it was made available on the BBC Sounds website.

The phrase originated in the US deep south in the mid-19th century and is thought to have referred to slaves having to conceal themselves as they sought to flee north and secure freedom.

It was later used in the 20th Century, including by several novelists, as a metaphor to describe a hidden problem or fact.

Former England footballer Geoff Hurst used it while appearing as a pundit on ITV during the 1990 World Cup.

More recently, Conservative MP Anne Marie Morris was suspended in 2017 after it emerged she used the expression during a public discussion about Brexit. She used it to describe the prospect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

In 2019, a Downing Street aide alleged that Prince Andrew also used the phrase during a trade meeting.