Corrie's Les in racist outburst

[faceless]

CORRIE LES IN RACISM SHOCK
By Dan Evans

CORONATION Street star Bruce Jones launched into a drunken racist tirade at a charity auction, the News of the World can reveal. Now the actor who plays Weatherfield loudmouth Les Battersby could face the axe from his ?120,000-a-year job. He left the 180-strong ?65-a-head guests speechless when he joked that a group of Asian guests at the fundraising dinner were "only wanting a passport" and would flog the lots they bought on their "market stalls".

An insider at the charity bash at Manchester City's football ground said: "He was getting more and more drunk and then he dragged ex-Manchester City player, Tommy Booth, on stage to help him. "Suddenly he started insulting the Asian people. Tommy looked mortified, but Bruce ploughed on like an idiot." The source went on: "Bruce was very lucky someone didn't knock his block off."

He was at the November 23 auction to raise cash for kids' charity MedEquip4Kids. But when word of his outburst got back to his bosses at Granada TV, grovelling Bruce was hauled over the coals by Corrie producer Steve Frost in a tense meeting on Friday. Bruce, 53, told the News of the World exclusively that he was ashamed of the racist outburst. He blamed his behaviour on a booze binge, sparked by his father's illness which we revealed last week. He said: "It was not my intention to upset anybody and I apologise unreservedly if anyone was insulted or upset. I have also spoken to my bosses and apologised to them."

A show insider said he had not been punished immediately because his 77-year-old father Jack had died on Thursday. He added: "Bruce had watched his father die the previous night and then faced losing his job the very next day for an act of gross stupidity. But the matter is far from over and Bruce will still have to face the music when he returns from compassionate leave."

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What a complete dick. The guy needs to stop drinking and get a clue.

[paulwestside]

What a shock to read this article - will this do irreparable harm to his career the way that Michael (Kramer) Richards did to his with his racist rant?

Was this tirade caught on tape? Richards could not deny what he said because there was proof. Many commentators think that this is what hurt him but saved Mel Gibson (we have never seen the tape from the police station where Gibson had his melt down).

Any thoughts?

[faceless]

I'm sure it did happen if he's apologised for it - but he might be lucky and get away with the inevitable massive criticism if it wasn't recorded.

[major.tom]

If these comments posted were the worst made, they don't really compare with Michael Richard's KKK-like tirade. Granted, they're tasteless and offensive, but not hateful which (to me) makes a difference.

Also, faceless, I don't think his drinking was the problem. The problem was his views which he felt more free to express due to his drunkenness.

Perhaps in the future we'll see prospective employees for highly visible positions being forced to get drunk as a way to guage how offensive they can be at their worst. Sound like a fun interview process.

[faceless]

Well, there have been other stories about him getting into trouble with the drink. It's not just based on this incident that I made my damning indictment!

I absolutely agree with the idea about checking what people are like after a few drinks - it's a good way of knowing what a person is really like (at that time) for sure.

[maycm]

Amazing isn't it that every other story these days is about some "celebrity" or other making racist remarks, then retracting and saying how out of character it is and it doesn't really reflect the way they feel.

Mel Gobson, Michael Retards, Jade Gobby and now Bruce Moans.

What a bunch of idiots these people are if they think we believe their so called heartfelt apologies.

Having said that, I don't think Bruce will lose his job, he's such a good character and the Street has lost quite a few recently. More likely they'll make him do some community service, either off screen or on in some capacity.

[faceless]

Coronation Street actor suspended
Bruce Jones, who plays Les Battersby in Coronation Street, has been suspended over allegations that he insulted fans during a drunken trip to a restaurant. The actor has been asked to stay away from filming pending an investigation. The News of the World claimed Jones, 54, swore and discussed the outcome of Tracy Barlow's murder trial, currently a major plot in the long-running show.

Jones "denies the allegations and the context of the comments", a statement on the programme's website said. It added that he was "currently taking legal advice about the newspaper article", which referred to events at the Old Rectory restaurant in Stockport.

A spokeswoman for ITV said the article "alleged that Mr Jones had got drunk while with an undercover reporter and made inappropriate comments in a public place". "ITV takes these allegations very seriously and will be looking into them further," she added.

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he really does sound like a twat the more these stories add up.

[Kezza]

OMG, yet another actor suspended --- I just posted a similar comment re: the suspension of Mohammed George ("Gus") from EE in another thread. So, is Mr Jones now checking himself in rehab?

[pirtybirdy]

He is as dumb as his character on Corrie it seems.

[maycm]

[faceless]

that's a shame - I quite liked his character on-screen. His wedding to Cilla was great tv.

[alan1254]

He repotedly has a huge ego problem, thinks he's it because he's on corrie and aparently reminds everyone he meets of 'who he is' cant imagine what 'exiting offers' he's had as I have always found him totaly inadiquate as an actor you can always see him waiting for his cue line like someone in a school play

[faceless]

Jones 'proud of Les'
Exclusive by Claire Donnelly 04/09/2007

In his undeniably eventful decade in Corrie, Les Battersby has done time, tried to top himself, survived electrocution by karaoke and been punched in the face by Status Quo - and Bruce Jones, who plays him, has loved every last minute. Now, after 10 years of being at the centre of some of the show's funniest and most dramatic storylines, 54-year-old Bruce is getting used to life outside the soap after he got the boot in May.

A Corrie fan since childhood, he had no idea his part would last so long, or bring him so much attention and heartache. Yesterday, in his first interview since Street bosses decided not to renew his contract - Bruce maintains the decision to leave was mutual - he told the Mirror how the stress of fame nearly killed him, drove him to drink and left him a prisoner in his own home.

The twice-married father of four was sacked following allegations that he had slagged off colleagues, cracked racist jokes and made crude comments about Wendi Peters, who plays Les's missus Cilla, during a drunken meeting, all of which he strenuously denies. His next role is in panto this Christmas, in Jack And The Beanstalk in Weston-super-Mare, but Bruce will never forget his time in Weatherfield.

"I'd promised my grandmother I'd get a part in Coronation Street one day so it really was amazing to be offered a role," says Bruce, who was 47 when he joined the soap in July 1997. It was a huge thing when the Battersbys arrived, there was a big build-up. All I knew about Les was he was meant to be rough and ready, so I based him on bits of different people that I knew from real life. I wanted to create a believable working class character and I did. That's one of the things I'm most proud of. I didn't have a clue he'd last so long. If you'd told me then I was going to be around for 10 years I wouldn't have believed it."

Bruce, who was born in Collyhurst, Manchester, was a jobbing actor with film and TV experience under his belt when he was cast as Les. Even so, his first day on set was daunting.

"It was like the first day at school - terrifying," he laughs. "I'd done film before but Corrie was a huge, huge deal. I was very nervous. The cast were all legends to me, so coming into that crowd was quite scary. But Betty Driver, who plays Betty Turpin, made a point of welcoming me, and so did Liz Dawn (Vera Duckworth). Liz showed me how to work the tea machines and we've been mates ever since, she's like a big sister to me. I'd go to her pub, The Grapes, for a couple of pints after work. Sometimes me and my wife Sandra would go for a meal with Liz and her husband Don. She is a great lady and a good mate."

He is also friendly with Vicky Entwistle who joined the soap at the same time, as Les's wife Janice. They shared some fun times as the warring Battersbys went through various ups and downs. "We'd crack each other up," says Bruce. "The funniest was when Les had to serenade Janice in the street. It took loads of takes to get it right because we couldn't stop laughing. I'd see Vicky outside of work, too. If we went to a pub you could see people thinking, 'Watch out, it's the Battersbys'."

But for Bruce, one of the real highlights of his time in Corrie was working with Status Quo. A friend and fan of the band in real life, he got to sing with them as part of Les's hilarious wedding to Cilla in 2005. "It was a dream come true," says Bruce. "I loved being in the show, I actually loved it. I miss Les because I made him. He'll always be a part of me... But I don't want to just play Les Battersby and there is a danger of being typecast, so you have to be careful about what you take on."

So would he ever do another soap? "Naah. When you've been in the best, what's the point?"

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[alan1254]

'Naah' ,proberbly because you will never work again

[faceless]

haha yeah, exactly what I was thinking too...