Channel 4 forced to apologise after Easterby turns the airwaves blue
Racing Post
23 May 2006
Channel 4 was forced to issue numerous apologies yesterday afternoon following a four-letter outburst from the unpredictable trainer Mick Easterby in a live post-race interview.
Angry viewers contacted the broadcaster to complain about the language used by the trainer in an interview carried out by Channel 4's anchorman Alastair Down following Blue Spinnaker's win in the York opener.
Easterby twice used a taboo four-letter word in recalling how he bought the horse for just £2,000.
In the immediate aftermath of the interview, Down issued the first of three on-air apologies, saying: "Sorry if some of you found his language a bit broad. He is a bit of a colourful character and I'm sure no offence was intended."
Channel 4 later issued a formal apology after confirming they had received a small number of complaints from offended viewers.
A spokesman said: "We regularly have impromptu interviews with trainers after winning races, and we apologised quickly and unreservedly three times on air for the unforeseen language."
The trainer, who is based at nearby Sheriff Hutton, later said that he had not meant to offend.
He said: "I apologise. It is a slang word in Yorkshire that comes from the Anglo-Saxons and it has been translated into a swear word.
"It's an old Yorkshire expression that means 'silly bugger', but if anyone was offended then I am deeply sorry. I have a friend and I've called him that every day of my life."