A former Brookside actor has apologized after making offensive comments during a performance at Liverpool‘s Royal Court Theater. The venue expressed it was “horrified” by the remarks made on stage during “The Doddy Day Happiness Show,” an annual event celebrating the late comedian Sir Ken Dodd.
The actor, whose name has not been widely circulated, issued a statement through his solicitor, Tony Nelson of Haworth & Gallagher Solicitors, stating he “sincerely regretted” the lapse in judgement and “meant no offense to anybody.” He has forfeited his fee for the show and requested it be donated to charity.
“My client has been entertaining the liverpool public as a singer and later as an actor and a comedian for over 60 years,” Nelson stated. “His role in life has always been to bring enjoyment to his audiences and to entertain them and bring fun to their lives. This is an isolated and unfortunate lapse of judgement for which my client is deeply sorry and has instructed me to confirm that he meant no offence to anybody and that he is not nor has never been racist in any way.”
The Royal Court emphasized its commitment to inclusivity, stating, “Our audience includes people of all ages and from every postcode in the city. There’s a rise in racism and intolerance in society and people feel under threat because of it.Our role as an arts venue is to be an inclusive space, to raise awareness and to tackle it through our work and actions.”
The Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation clarified its limited involvement, stating that while Anne, Lady Dodd, and family members attended the show and Lady Dodd participated in a brief on-stage interview, the foundation was not involved in the production or artist bookings. The actor appeared on Brookside from 1990 to 2003.