Little Britain and Come Fly With Me removed from Netflix and BBC iPlayer after blackface controversy
LITTLE Britain and Come Fly With Me have been removed from Netflix, BBC iPlayer and BritBox after controversy over the use of blackface characters.
Both series starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams are no longer available to watch on the online streaming sites amid the Black Lives Matter protests.
BBC and BritBox both confirmed the TV shows have been taken down, telling viewers: "Times have changed."
In Little Britain - which aired from 2003 to 2007 - Walliams wore make up to play spa guest Desiree DeVere.
He also dressed up to play passenger liaison officer Moses Beacon and airline boss Omar Baba in In Come Fly With Me, which launched in 2010.
A BBC spokesman added: ‘There’s a lot of historical programming available on BBC iPlayer, which we regularly review.
"Times have changed since Little Britain first aired so it is not currently available on BBC iPlayer."
BritBox, which streams ITV and BBC shows, added: "Times have changed since Little Britain first aired, so it is not currently available on BritBox. Come Fly With Me has not been available on the service for six months."
Tens of thousands of protesters have been lining the streets following the death of black American George Floyd.
A video showed white police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressing his knee on the neck of the dying man - while he pleaded for air with his hands handcuffed behind him.
Horrified Brits have vowed to “kneel for Floyd in solidarity with protesters in America” and have called for justice to be served.
It has also forced those in the entertainment industry to take a hard look at themselves for mistakes made in the past.
This week the comedian who plays TV host Keith Lemon was forced into a tearful apology by talk show host Trisha Goddard.
Leigh Francis, who wore rubber masks to play stars in his show Bo’ Selecta, from 2002 to 2004, was confronted by Trisha, one of the black celebs he lampooned along with Craig David and Mel B.
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She angrily accused him of hypocrisy when he joined in last week’s Blackout Tuesday, a social media campaign for Black Lives Matter.
Leigh, 47, sent a private apology to Trisha and in an emotional Instagram video said: “I didn’t realise how offensive it was.
"I just want to say sorry for any upset I caused whether I was Michael Jackson, Craig David, Trisha Goddard.”