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SourceCarol Thatcher will no longer work on The One Show after being reported for making an off-air remark, the BBC has announced.
The former prime minister's daughter referred to a tennis player as a "golliwog" backstage during filming of the BBC One programme.
However, the 55-year-old will not be banned from the BBC as a whole.
The corporation said it had hoped Thatcher would issue an unconditional apology but she had declined to do so.
Her spokesman told The Times she made the remark in a conversation with the show's presenter Adrian Chiles back stage and it was "meant as a joke".
"Carol never intended any racist comment," he said.
"She made a light aside about this tennis player and his similarity to the golliwog on the jam pot when she was growing up.
"There's no way, obviously, that she would condone any racist comment - we would refute that entirely. It would not be in her nature to do anything like that.
"It is disgusting that we've had a leak of private conversations in the green room - the BBC has more leaks than Thames Water.
"Carol is mortified that anyone should take offence at a silly joke. She has summarily apologised."
According to press reports, the comment was made during a conversation about the Australian Open tennis tournament, in reference to a player who had recently been knocked out of the men's singles draw. (Continues)
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