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Kilroy apologises for being irritating talk show host
10 Jan 2004
Television presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk last night apologised for being an irritating talk show host after viewers complained to the BBC. Kilroy, whose self-titled programme has run on BBC One for 18 years, also writes a column for the Sunday Express. In a piece for the alleged newspaper in April this year, Kilroy criticised rival talk show hosts as making "no meaningful contribution to the rest of the world".
"People like Jerry Springer are despotic, barbarous and corrupt," he wrote in the column, which was repeated last week because the paper had nothing better to put in its place. "They should go down on their knees and thank God for my presence, because I am the king of chat shows and I will never be beaten. How does that feel, Ricky Lake?"
Kilroy's strongest criticism was reserved for his ITV counterpart, Trisha Goddard. "Toppling evil chat regimes like hers should be a war aim," he ranted. "She has made no contribution to world welfare and civilisation. ITV should sack the bitch now."
Over 100 people – a quarter of the Express's readership - have so far complained to the BBC about Kilroy's remarks. "I quite like Trisha myself," wrote one in an email. "Kilroy's columns slagging off Arabs are OK but Trisha beats him as a TV presenter hands down. The BBC should get rid of him as soon as possible."
"Dear Mr Wogan, I am disgusted by the appalling nature of Mr Kilroy's remarks," wrote Concerned of Tunbridge Wells (Mrs). "The way he treats the guests in his programmes is terrible. Please, BBC, let's have more Garden Invaders From Hell instead of this rubbish."
A spokesman for the Corporation said that it "completely disassociates" itself with Kilroy's remarks, "except the bit about Trisha because she gets better ratings." It has taken the programme off-air while managers investigate.
Kilroy's programme will meanwhile be replaced by a special discussion show presented by Tara Palmer Tomkinson and Craig Doyle called "I'm a bigoted racist chat show host, get me off British television" until his future is decided.
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