Reggie Yates steps down from Top of the Pops after ‘fat Jewish guy’ remark
Presenter steps aside from the Christmas show after his 'offensive' comments, as he 'apologises unreservedly' to the community
Reggie Yates has stepped down from Top Of The Pops after making “offensive” comments about Jewish music managers.
The presenter, 34, had been signed up to host Christmas Day and New Year specials with Fearne Cotton.
But he will no longer be on the BBC shows after remarking, in a podcast, that a new generation of singers are “independent, they’re not managed by some random fat Jewish guy from north west London”.
In a statement on Twitter, Yates said he was “stepping down from hosting Top Of The Pops this year”.
He wrote: “On a recent podcast, during a discussion about grime artists, I made some ill-considered remarks which have hurt many people.
“I can see clearly that the words I used reinforced offensive stereotypes, and that there is no context that would justify such remarks.
“My comments are no reflection on how I truly feel, and I would like to apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community, people in the music industry and anyone else I have offended.
“This has been, and continues to be a huge learning experience for me, and on reflection I have taken the decision to step down from hosting Top Of The Pops this year.”
I am stepping down from hosting Top of the Pops this year, please see below pic.twitter.com/dJfLETzbL3
— REGYATES (@REGYATES) December 4, 2017
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.