Trisha Goddard's children endured "vicious bullying" over the 'Bo' Selecta' depiction of her.
Trisha Goddard
The 62-year-old TV presenter revealed that after she was mocked on Leigh Francis' show - which aired between 2002 and 2006 - her daughters Madison, 27, and Billie, 30, were taunted by other kids about their looks.
She explained to BBC 'Newsnight': "I hated it. I have only recently discovered how bullied my children were in Norfolk over the character.
"Let me be clear on this, if the parody was just of me, that would have been one thing, but it was the big lips... all the things that every black child has been bullied about.
"I can laugh at myself, I've had people joke about me. But it was the racial over-the-top with the big lips, the big wide hips, the rice and peas."
Leigh recently apologised for his use of blackface in the comedy sketches but Trisha revealed she previously couldn't even talk to him when she met him because she was so "sick" about his portrayal of black people on his show.
She said: "Leigh kind of knew because I know Craig David had an issue with his portrayal, he really did. But that's for Craig to speak to.
"But a couple of times I did bump into Leigh. My daughter reminded me, she was with me once I couldn't even talk to him I felt so sick.
"In his defence he had a long telephone conversation with my daughter who told her what she went through.
"She told him about the trolling, bullying, the viciousness as a direct result and he was horrified, being a father himself. He was absolutely horrified."
Trisha's daughter Billie thanked Lee for his apology and said it was "100 per cent the right thing to do".
Leigh, 47, was in tears as he issued his apology via Instagram, saying: "My name's Leigh Francis I play a character called Keith Lemon on television.
"It's been a weird few days, I've sat and thought about things and what I could post to help things.
"Back in 2002, I did a show called 'Bo' Selecta'. I portrayed many black people. Back then I didn't think anything about it, people didn't say anything, I'm not going to blame other people.
"I've been talking to some people, I didn't realise how offensive it was back then.
"I just want to apologise, I just want to say sorry for any upset I caused, whether I was Michael Jackson, Craig David, Trisha Goddard, all people I'm a big fan of. I guess we're all on a learning journey."
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