BBC ban Basil Brush gipsy sketch hit by police probe

Bosses admitted that an episode which caused offence was "inappropriate" and have told police it will not be shown again.

Officers have now decided no further action will be taken.

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The bizarre complaint – which was revealed by The Mail on Sunday last week – was made by a gipsy living on a travellers' site in Northamptonshire.

He alleged a scene showing a gipsy woman trying to sell the puppet fox wooden pegs and heather was offensive and insulting.

The gipsy made an official complaint to Northamptonshire Police, which referred the matter to its Hate Crimes Unit.

Last week, after speaking to police officers, the BBC reviewed the tapes and offered not to show the episode again.

Police have not yet told the BBC formally about the outcome of their inquiries but a source said: "The episode was made six years ago.

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"he BBC looked at it and took the view that it's not terribly offensive but it's old enough that it probably wouldn't be made in the same way if done today."

The gipsy who triggered the inquiry declined to be interviewed or reveal his identity.

But he told this newspaper through a third party that his complaint, made verbally to police, had been treated "sympathetically" by officers.

He said he took issue because "I didn't think it was very nice to have that scene in a programme I was watching with my daughter".

The episode was repeated on the digital channel CBBC on February 21 this year and has been released on DVD.

It features Basil and his friend Mr Stephen, who succumbs to a gipsy spell that makes him attractive to women.

Having just moved into a flat above Basil's, Dame Rosie Fortune – who casts the spell – offers him heather and pegs at his front door, which he rejects.

She also offers to tell Basil his fortune and he replies: "I went to a fortune teller once and he said I was going on a long journey."

When Mr Stephen asks what happened, Basil replies: "He stole my wallet and I had to walk all the way home."

Basil is currently appearing on BBC2's Saturday Swap Shop.

Senior Tory MP Patrick Mercer said last night: "I'm very relieved that Basil has survived his brush with the law."

A BBC spokesman said: "We cannot comment because our conversations with the police have not been formalised."

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: "This complaint has now been concluded to the satisfaction of all parties involved."

There had been no arrests.

●The latest Home Office crime figures show violent crime rose by 13 per cent in Northamptonshire last year, even though crime overall fell by three per cent.