Queen's estate gift shop to stop selling racist toy
This action by this gift shop and others around Britain to stop selling the golliwog doll because they 'had no intent to offend anyone' is part of the reaction (mentioned in the OP story) to Carol Thatcher, who works as a reporter on the afternoon "One Show" on BBC 1, and made a remark off-camera using the term to refer to a tennis player at the Australian Open. She was immediately fired.
Of course, the BBC was immediately bombarded with over 2000 complaints in support of Thatcher.
BBC1 controller Jay Hunt today strongly defended the corporation's decision, saying it had caused offence to several members of production staff.
Hunt said Thatcher had described the black tennis player as "golliwog" in front of 12 people, including The One Show presenter Adrian Chiles, guest Jo Brand and a senior charity worker from Comic Relief.
Chiles, Brand and other staff had been offended, said Hunt, and the next day an executive producer spoke to Thatcher about the remark, prompting an email apology from her in which she said the comment had been a joke.
...
"But The One show prides itself on the diversity of its production team and its range of coverage across the country, and I think everybody would be able to see that that is not an appropriate place for her to work now."
Seems like they are sticking to their decision, though.
!twit!
"The news comes after a spokeswoman for Carol Thatcher accused the BBC of being motivated by animosity towards her mother, former prime minister Lady Thatcher."
Works for me.