SKY has been caught up in a row after a contestant on Lee Mack’s new present needed to deny he has “Nazi tattoos” on his face.
Sky Historical past launched a clip from The Chop: Britain’s High Woodworker – which sees ten of “the nation’s most interesting carpenters” compete in a sequence of challenges for the woodworking crown.
The video introduces Darren, with the channel’s Twitter account captioning it: “Meet the Woodman, the Bloke-With-All-The-Tattoos or Darren as we wish to name him. #TheChop.”
Viewers – together with comic Katherine Ryan – claimed they noticed what seemed like Neo-Nazi tattoos on his face and posted on Twitter to denounce the present.
Nevertheless, Darren insists that 1988 is the 12 months of his father’s dying and they don’t seem to be Nazi tattoos.
In accordance with the Anti-Defamation League, 88 is a white supremacist numerical code for “Heil Hitler”.
The web site reads: “H is the eighth letter of the alphabet, so 88 = HH = Heil Hitler.”
They state it is likely one of the commonest white supremacist symbols.
Above his prime lip, Darren has the phrases “Homegrown” tattooed.
A spokesperson for Sky advised The Solar On-line: “Darren’s tattoos denote important occasions in his life and don’t have any political or ideological which means in any way.
“Amongst the assorted numerical tattoos on his physique, 1988 is the 12 months of his father’s dying.
“The manufacturing staff carried out in depth 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 HISTORY is illiberal of racism and all types of hatred and any use of symbols or numbers is fully incidental and never meant to trigger hurt or offence.”
Speaking forward of his look on the Sky present, Darren stated of his inkings: “About ten years in the past I noticed somebody with facial tattoos and began to work with my tattooist on my look.
“I’ve my daughter on the again of my head and my son on my cheek.
“When some individuals first meet me they’re a bit shocked, admittedly. However they quickly heat to me after a couple of minutes.
“Some individuals ask for selfies with me. I’ve by no means had a detrimental response to my tattoos. They’re simply me.”
Followers – together with Netflix star and comic Katherine Ryan – have been horrified and claimed the contestant has “Nazi tattoos on his face”.
She tweeted: “‘White males can’t get on TV anymore’…..this one actually has Nazi tattoos on his face and is on TV.”
One other viewer wrote: “The bloke with the neo nazi tattoos. I believed you have been the historical past channel.”
A 3rd added: “Are you for actual? The bloke has Nazi tattoos on his face ffs. Sky ‘Historical past’ certainly. Morons. Face with rolling eyes”
At first of the clip, Darren says: “I’m affected person. To a level. So if there’s gonna be individuals getting in my means, there may be fireworks.”
Then later to presenter Lee Mack, he says: “So I am often known as The Woodman. So I flip up and say, ‘I’m The Woodman.”
Lee then jokes: “I am not going to deceive you Darren, when you have been the bloke in my city, you would not be often known as The Woodman. You would be the bloke with all of the tattoos.
“Certainly that takes priority over The Woodman.”
The Chop is hosted by comedian Lee Mack, TV presenter Rick Edwards and Master Carpenter William Hardie.
It sees ten contestants compete for the title of Britain’s Top Woodworker in Epping Forest.