BBC apologises after Orlando Bloom says "pikey" on air

From Digital Spy

The BBC has been forced to apologise after Orlando Bloom said the word "pikey" during an interview with Radio 1's Nick Grimshaw on Wednesday (April 26).

The actor appeared on Grimmy's breakfast show to promote his new movie Unlocked when he used the word, which is a derogatory term for Travellers and Gypsies.

A BBC spokesperson said: "As with any live broadcast, we take great care to ensure all guests are briefed about their language before going on air. We apologised to listeners afterwards for any offence caused."

When Grimmy asked Orlando if he performs his own stunts, the actor replied: "I'm still a pikey from Kent, boy. I'm still a pikey from Kent. You don't want to get on the wrong side of me, boy."

After the interview, the Pirates of the Caribbean star insisted that he didn't mean it as a slant against Traveller and Gypsy communities.

"I've come from Kent and I grew up with a lot of, like, freewheeling, cool, interesting characters like that," he explained.

"I certainly wasn't taking a slant at that at all. I'm very respectful."

Grimmy himself also apologised to listeners on air, saying: "Great to have him on the show, but apologies if you were offended by anything that Orlando may have said earlier on."

Still, some listeners didn't exactly take kindly to Orlando's use of the word, complaining that Radio 1 only recently aired a programme about the meaning behind its offence.

Katie Price was having her own language issues on Wednesday when she used the N-word twice while live on This Morning.

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