BBC Radio Host Sacked After Call to Taxi Firm Requesting ‘Non-Asian’ Driver
Daily Mail (London), November 11, 2008
A BBC Radio presenter has been sacked following a ‘racist’ call to a taxi firm, in which she requested a ‘non-Asian’ driver.
Sam Mason told the operator that ‘a guy with a turban would freak her daughter out’ insisting they send an English driver instead.
The ex-glamour girl, 40, called the firm to order a taxi for her 14-year-old daughter off-air, while presenting her BBC Bristol radio show.
After the operator branded her request ‘racist’, Mason insisted, claiming it wasn’t the first time she had made the request.
She said: ‘A guy with a turban is going to freak her out. She’s not used to Asians.’
When the operator said it would not be possible to carry out her wishes, she said: ‘You’ve managed it before.’
Mason, who has previously battled alcohol addiction, claimed she wasn’t racist but insisted she was looking out for her daughter’s interest.
Mason said: ‘If it were me I wouldn’t care if it had two heads, but it’s my little girl we are talking about.’
After the operator refused to book a car, Mason complained before hanging up.
The operator said: ‘We would class that as being racist. We can’t just penalise the Asian drivers and just send an English one.’
