BBC sacks veteran DJ after 32 years for playing 'The Sun Has Got His Hat On'. . . because he accidentally played original version which includes the 'N' word

• David Lowe, 68, gave 32 years of service to the BBC as a local broadcaster
• But he lost his golden oldies show on Radio Devon for innocent mistake
• Mr Lowe innocently played a 1932 version of The Sun Has Got His Hat On
• He didn't realise that the original version features the N-word
• One listener complained, and Mr Lowe offered to apologise on air
• But the BBC refused and insisted that he 'fall on his sword' by quitting

By Ian Gallagher for The Mail on Sunday

Published: 17:13 EST, 10 May 2014 | Updated: 06:03 EST, 11 May 2014

Sacked: David Lowe, who has 32 years' service with the BBC, lost his job for playing The Sun Has Got His Hat On

The BBC was accused of ‘appalling’ double standards last night after forcing a veteran DJ to quit after he innocently played an old version of The Sun Has Got His Hat On which featured the ‘N’ word.

David Lowe was ordered by bosses to ‘fall on your sword’ – even though Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson kept his job when he appeared to mumble exactly the same racist term.

Mr Lowe lost his job after playing a 1932 version of the song, performed by Ambrose & His Orchestra, on his Sunday night golden oldies show on BBC Radio Devon.

Unknown to Mr Lowe, a popular presenter who has spent 32 years with the BBC, the second
verse features the line: ‘He’s been tanning n****** out in Timbuktu, now he’s coming back to do the same to you.’

The BBC took action after just one listener complained to say he was ‘horrified’ by what he heard.

But last night the Corporation faced a storm of protest over its treatment of the 68-year-old host, who had immediately offered to apologise on air when he realised his ‘genuine error’.

Friends and colleagues rallied to his support, while fans used Twitter to express their incredulity.

Roy Corlett, Mr Lowe’s former boss at BBC Radio Devon, said: ‘To end David’s career in this way when Clarkson was given a rap on the knuckles is absolutely appalling. It is an outrageous way to treat a loyal and distinguished employee. You couldn’t wish to meet a nicer man.’

And another former Radio Devon station manager, John Lilley, added: ‘It is a tragic end to a 32-year career with the BBC. I think what they did to David was disgraceful. He is a lovely man and has long been known to his colleagues as the Gentle Giant.’

Mr Lowe played a 1932 version of the son, performed by Amrbose & His Orchestra, on a Sunday night golden oldies show

Rejecting Mr Lowe’s offer to apologise, BBC executives instead tried to silence him saying: ‘We prefer that you don’t mention anything about last week’s broadcast.’

Then they asked if they could announce that he wanted to leave to ‘pursue other interests’.

But unwilling to cover up the incident, Mr Lowe refused, and was pointedly ignored when he repeated his desire to apologise to his listeners.

Finally, Emma Clements, BBC Devon’s acting editor, wrote to him saying: ‘I agree you have acted properly throughout and we are grateful for both your apology and your appreciation of the seriousness of the situation.

'But regrettably, I think we will have to accept your offer to fall on your sword to resolve this situation.’

Support: Mr Lowe tweets the news of his sacking, and fans back him in their own words

In contrast, Mr Clarkson, who has a history of making offensive remarks on air, was let off without even a suspension. Yesterday it emerged that Mr Clarkson was saved from disciplinary action by the intervention of director-general Tony Hall.

Yesterday lunchtime – after being contacted by The Mail on Sunday – the BBC appeared to undergo an abrupt change of heart over Mr Lowe.

It said in a statement that the situation ‘could have been handled better’ adding: ‘We have offered David Lowe the opportunity to continue presenting his Singers And Swingers show, and we would be happy to have him back on air.’

Contrast: Mr Clarkson, pictured above using the 'N' word in an unused scene in Top Gear, was not sacked

At this stage, though, Mr Lowe had not been offered his job back. ‘It’s news to me,’ he said during an interview at his Torquay home. It was to be another two hours before he was called by the BBC with their offer.

NOEL GAY'S ORIGINAL - AND HOW IT'S CHANGED

The lyrics to The Sun Has Got His Hat On have been changed several times since Noel Gay (below) and Ralph Butler wrote the original in 1932.

It was composed for the musical Me And My Girl and first recorded by the Henry Hall BBC Dance Orchestra, with vocals by Val Rosing.

The second verse went: ‘He’s been tanning n*****s out in Timbuktu, Now he’s coming back to do the same for you.’

Jonathan King, who was jailed in 2001 for sexually abusing teenagers in the 1980s, covered the song in 1971.

He changed the lyric to: ‘He’s been tanning negroes in Timbuktu.’

More recent versions have changed it to: ‘He’s been roastin’ peanuts out in Timbuktu’ or just ‘shining brightly out  in Timbuktu’.

But he said he was going to turn them down as the stress caused by the row had aggravated his dystonic tremor condition, a permanent shake.

‘These events have taken their toll on my disability and I have to put my health first,’ he said: ‘I will say thank you but respectfully decline.’

Ironically, the row was triggered by Mr Lowe being sensitive to the possibility that a requested song might cause offence. A woman from Cornwall wanted him to play Abdul Abulbul Amir – which featured in an Whitbread beer advert in the 1980s.

But Mr Lowe was concerned that it mentioned the Prophet Muhammad and, after speaking to his producer, decided to play The Sun Has Got His Hat On instead.

‘I thought I’d avoid the earlier request and play it safe,’ he said. ‘It’s so ironic that I’ve ended up in a bigger trap of my own making.

‘When I was told about it on Facebook, I thought, “Goodness gracious me”. My heart was in my mouth.

'I must have played the song half a dozen times over the years and I’ve never heard the ‘N’ word. I said to the person who told me about the song that political correctness will be the death of me.

‘Twenty-four hours later, all hell broke loose. I don’t have issues with my colleagues but I do have issues with a repressive system that encourages wholly disproportionate reactions to innocent errors of judgment.

'It is quite topical at the moment with Jeremy Clarkson although I didn’t actually say the word. Would it be different if I was Clarkson? I don’t know.

‘It was a genuine error on my part, the first in 32 years. But given today’s unforgiving obsession with political correctness I have been compelled to pay a heavy price.’

The BBC said last night: ‘At a local level, we got it wrong and we have offered Mr Lowe his job back.’

SO WILL THE BBC NOW STOP JAY Z SINGING 'N' WORD?

Uncensored: Jay Z in concert

Many hit songs – often by rap artists – contain the ‘N’ word, but BBC producers usually use edits which censor the word.

However, the BBC website is full of videos of artists using the term at live shows. Jay Z and Kanye West performed N****s In Paris [the offensive word spelled with an ‘a’ rather than ‘er’] at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Hackney, London, in 2012 which aired live on BBC Three.

The online video features the stars using the N-word repeatedly without censorship.

And last year, BBC 6 Music was criticised for editing the line ‘one less white n*****’  from Elvis Costello’s Oliver’s Army.

BBC editorial guidelines say: ‘Strong language [should be] used only where it is editorially justified.’

DJ'S DESPAIRING ACCOUNT ONLINE

• David Lowe described his treatment by the BBC in a blog post. Here is an extract:

After more than 32 years of programme-making, I have hung up my headphones for the last time. Why? Because I made a silly mistake. [And] where political correctness is concerned there is no room for excuses or forgiveness.

That said: let me stress here, I have no quarrel with anyone at the BBC in the West and South West. However, I do have issues with a repressive system that encourages wholly disproportionate reactions to innocent errors of judgment.

On April 27, I featured an 82-year-old recording [which] includes one of today’s ‘forbidden’ English language expressions… the ‘N’ word! You’ve got to listen very carefully to hear it but, yes, it is there on the recording.

'An honour': Mr Lowe explained his 'silly mistake' to his listeners online after he was stopped from doing so on air

I was alerted to my error by BBC management who had, in turn, received a complaint from a listener, who, suffice it to say was ‘horrified’ by what he heard, and added, ‘I hope that someone in authority will deal with Mr Young appropriately.’ (He referred to me as David Young throughout).  I know of no other complaint.

Nevertheless, I admitted my mistake; apologised to my managers, and offered to apologise to the listeners. Alternatively, I offered to fall on my sword.

A series of emails ensued. In the end, the BBC wrote to say, ‘Regrettably… we will have to accept your offer to fall on your sword.’

Sadly, many thousands of BBC listeners have now been deprived of a programme they came to look forward to. This regrettable episode provides proof of the damaging effect political correctness in all its pernicious forms is having on British society.

Sorry folks, but I made a stupid mistake and I was left with no other option.

It has been an honour to entertain you.