UPDATE: A+E Networks UK has determined to take Sky History actuality competitors collection The Chop off-air amid claims that contestant, Darren Lumsden, has white supremacist tattoos on his face. Right here’s the newest assertion:
“Whereas we examine the character, and which means, of Darren’s tattoos, now we have eliminated the video that includes him from our social media pages, and won’t be broadcasting any episodes of The Chop: Britain’s High Woodworker till now we have concluded that investigation. Sky HISTORY stands towards racism and hate speech of every kind.”
PREVIOUS: Sky Historical past, the joint-venture UK tv channel run by A+E Networks UK and Comcast-owned Sky, has defended a contestant on its new actuality competitors collection The Chop after Twitter customers accused him of getting Nazi tattoos emblazoned on his face.
Sky Historical past tweeted a promotional clip of The Chop: Britain’s High Woodworker on Monday, that includes participant Darren Lumsden. Referred to as “The Woodman,” Lumsden has the quantity 88 clearly inked on his cheek, which is white supremacist numerical code for Heil Hitler.
Twitter customers seized on the clip, mentioning the tattoo and its which means. Quickly after, A+E Networks UK issued a press release explaining that the numbers are simply an sad coincidence.
Is that this the “historical past”, you idiots pic.twitter.com/tXlCctw5b9
— Daybreak Foster (@DawnHFoster) October 20, 2020
“Darren’s tattoos denote important occasions in his life and don’t have any political or ideological which means by any means. Amongst the assorted numerical tattoos on his physique, 1988 is the yr of his father’s demise,” a spokesman mentioned.
“The manufacturing workforce carried out intensive background checks on all of the woodworkers collaborating within the present, that confirmed Darren has no affiliations or hyperlinks to racist teams, views or feedback. Sky Historical past is illiberal of racism and all types of hatred and any use of symbols or numbers is completely incidental and never meant to trigger hurt or offence.”
Deadline understands that producers at Huge Wheel Movie & Tv and Movement Content material Group spoke to Lumsden concerning the tattoo throughout manufacturing, whereas A+E Networks UK programming bosses had a subsequent dialog with the participant to interrogate the matter.
Nevertheless it’s not simply 88 that Twitter sleuths have recognized as being problematic. Dr Adam Rutherford, a geneticist and creator of How To Argue With a Racist, highlighted different potential Nazi symbolism inked on Lumsden’s face.
There’s additionally:
1/11 = AK = Aryan Knights
3/11 = 3 Ok = KKK
109 = the declare that Jews have been expelled from 109 nations all through historical past, generally coupled with
110 = within the hope that the US would be the subsequent one— Dr Adam Rutherford (@AdamRutherford) October 20, 2020
The Chop is a Nice British Bake Off-style format, through which 10 contestants will collect in Epping Forest and goal to whittle, carve and chop their method to success, with their creations furnishing a lavish cabin within the woods. The collection premiered final Thursday.
