BBC journalist fired over 'racist' tweet on royal baby

Danny Baker has been FIRED from his BBC Radio 5 Live over a 'racist' royal baby tweet.

The 61-year-old radio host had tweeted then deleted an image comparing the newborn Archie Harrison to a chimpanzee.

It was met with backlash as users believed Danny was mocking the Duchess of Sussex's racial heritage.

"Just got fired from @bbc5live. For the record - it was red sauce. Always," he tweeted this morning.

Remaining unrepentant, Danny added: "The call to fire me from bbc5live was a masterclass of pompous faux-gravity. Took a tone that said I actually meant that ridiculous tweet and the BBC must uphold blah blah blah. Literally threw me under the bus. Could hear the suit's knees knocking. 

"Now it's started raining. Perfect. IntoEveryLife."

In an email sent to all 5 Live staff, controller Jonathan Wall said: "Danny made a serious error of judgement on social media last night and it goes against the values we live and breathe on this radio station."

Danny has been a brilliant broadcaster for us and I want to thank him for his work."

The controversy started not long after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle gave the world its first glimpse of the latest addition to the royal family, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

Danny tweeted the black and white image of a couple holding hands with a chimp dressed in a hat, cane and overcoat, writing above it: "Royal baby leaves hospital."

There was uproar and while Baker trended on Twitter he removed the post.

He then posted an apology, claiming that he had originally failed to realise the implications of posting the pic.

In a second tweet, Baker wrote: "Sorry my gag pic of the little fella in the posh outfit has whipped some up. Never occurred to me because, well, mind not diseased.

"Soon as those good enough to point out it’s possible connotations got in touch, down it came. And that's it.

Now stand by for sweary football tweets."

Baker then replied to one of his followers, stating that the post was not meant to be 'racially insensitive'.

He wrote: "Connection never occurred to me till people were good enough to enlighten.

"Little fella in posh suit. Anyway, deleted now."