Reggie Yates steps down from Top of the Pops over ‘fat Jewish’ comment
BBC DJ and documentary blasted for anti-Semitic comments during podcast interview

Presenter Reggie Yates will not host this year's Top of the Pops holiday specials after making what he described as “ill-considered remarks” in a podcast interview.
Yates apologised for using the phrase “fat Jewish guy” in a podcast recorded last month but has now tweeted to say he has “taken the decision to step down” from hosting the music shows, which were due to air on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve.
During an episode of the Halfcast Podcast, hosted by DJ Chuckie Lothian, Yates commented about artists who chose to remain independently managed, saying: “The thing that makes it great about this new generation of artists is that they ain’t signing to majors. They’re independent, they’re not managed by some random fat Jewish guy from north west London, they’re managed by their brethren.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Yates said in a statement after the show was released on SoundCloud: “I'm hugely apologetic for this flippant comment.”
“It was not my intention to offend or reinforce stereotypes, but I'm aware that this could have been interpreted that way and for that I am also deeply sorry.”
“What I was actually trying to say was how proud I am of the new generation of artists making their success independently on their own terms and without giving away control or their rights to major labels.”
His remark “sparked an immediate backlash, with online commenters accusing Yates, 34, of anti-Semitism,” says the Evening Standard.
In a post on the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism (CAA) website, a statement on Yates's comments read: “Clearly someone who sees fit to voice such views and only apologises when caught out should not be presented by the BBC as a role model for young people.”
Gideon Falter, chairman of the CAA, told the Daily Telegraph that Yates' comments “evoke the ugly stereotype of Jews as untrustworthy and money-grabbing”.
Yates was due to present this year's holiday specials of long-running show Top of the Pops with Fearne Cotton.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We take these issues very seriously and Reggie is in no doubt about the BBC's view of his comments”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
How will Wall Street react to the Trump-Powell showdown?
Today's Big Question 'Market turmoil' seems likely
By Joel Mathis, The Week US
-
Google ruled a monopoly over ad tech dominance
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi hailed the ruling as a 'landmark victory in the ongoing fight to stop Google from monopolizing the digital public square'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador's CECOT prison becomes Washington's go-to destination
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Republicans and Democrats alike are clamoring for access to the Trump administration's extrajudicial deportation camp — for very different reasons
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Stephen Graham's best TV and film roles
The Week Recommends From Line of Duty to Adolescence, these are the prolific actor's must-watch projects
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK
-
Why are we so obsessed with The Traitors?
In the Spotlight It's the BBC's most scheming, manipulative and treacherous show – and viewers can't get enough
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK
-
Gregg Wallace: a man out of time?
Talking Point MasterChef presenter's downfall shines spotlight on how mistreatment of junior staff has all too often been ignored
By The Week UK
-
Gregg Wallace apologises for 'women of a certain age' jibe
Speed Read MasterChef presenter says he was 'not in a good headspace' when he made the comments regarding complainants
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK
-
Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light – still a 'crown jewel'
The Week Recommends This 'superlative' Tudor drama returns to BBC One and remains 'appointment weekly viewing'
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK
-
Threads: how apocalyptic pseudo-documentary shocked a nation
In the Spotlight The rarely shown nuclear annihilation film will reappear on TV screens this week
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK
-
'Ludwig': David Mitchell's new quaint and quirky British detective drama
The Week Recommends The BBC's new cosy crime drama is the 'role of a lifetime' for Mitchell
By The Week UK
-
Mishal Husain: BBC journalist shares her six favourite books
The Week Recommends Newsreader and Radio 4 presenter picks works by Louisa May Alcott, Jamil Ahmad and more
By The Week UK