Broadcaster Danny Baker has insisted that he ‘won’t be forced to retire’ following his BBC sacking in his first stage appearance since posting a ‘racist’ tweet about the royal baby .
The 61-year-old motormouth presenter told the audience at his first live show since the incident: “When life deals you lemons, you chuck them at the people calling you racist.”
Baker was sacked from BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday after tweeting a joke about the Duke and Duchess Of Sussex’s son featuring a picture of a chimpanzee.
He seemed defiant on stage at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham, joking with the audience: “If anyone does want to rush the stage, I’m a Millwall fan with a snooker cue”.
(Image: Tim Merry/Reach)
Baker added: “I always pace the stage, I’m not trying to get away from potential Lee Harvey Oswalds.
“After 42 years in this racket… I’m 62 nearly now and I thought, well, retire.”
He then joked: “I didn’t want to be forced to retire.”
Baker said that it was ‘ironic’ that his show was about the times his “career… had hit a brick wall”.
(Image: Tim Merry)
He said: “Topically, here we are again. That’s the last time I’m going to mention it.
“That’s the whole point of tonight. It’s the most unlikely tower, and I’m stuck in it.
“It should never have happened.”
(Image: Tim Merry)
Addressing the aftermath of his sacking and the wide condemnation of his tweet, Baker said: “I genuinely didn’t know what the atmosphere would be like tonight.
“You wouldn’t believe how I was feeling 20 minutes ago but I’m so pleased so let’s do this.”
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