A BBC Radio presenter,Sam Mason, has been sacked following a 'racist' call to a taxi firm.
A BBC Radio presenter,Sam Mason, 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.Dialogue betwee Mason and taxi company :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, 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.'She later called back before a manager accepted the booking.Mason said: 'I work at the BBC. I'm far from racist and that uneducated woman has no right
to call The BBC were alerted to the conversation after it was recorded and sent to the Sun
newspaper.
The mother-of-one was subsequently suspended and fired 24 hours later.A BBC spokesman said: 'Although Sam Mason's remarks were not made on-air, her
comments were completely unacceptable and, for that reason, she has been informed.
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.Dialogue betwee Mason and taxi company :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, 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.'She later called back before a manager accepted the booking.Mason said: 'I work at the BBC. I'm far from racist and that uneducated woman has no right
to call The BBC were alerted to the conversation after it was recorded and sent to the Sun
newspaper.
The mother-of-one was subsequently suspended and fired 24 hours later.A BBC spokesman said: 'Although Sam Mason's remarks were not made on-air, her
comments were completely unacceptable and, for that reason, she has been informed.
