Davidson's gay rant sparks a Hell of a row

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Bosses of the ITV reality show were forced to throw him off after he called gay men "shirt-lifters", a comment that led to a heated row with gay contestant Brian Dowling.

Gay rights groups today praised producers for giving Davidson the boot. David Allison, spokesman for OutRage!, said bosses had reacted correctly but the incident had come as no surprise.

He said: "Jim Davidson has a long history of making racist, homophobic and generally offensive comments. It's what he's known for. So it's not unexpected that he might cause offence on Hell's Kitchen."

It is the second time the show, in its third series, has lost a contestant over an offensive comment. Former boyband member Lee Ryan walked out after a row with head chef Marco Pierre White, having taken exception to his use of the word "pikey".

The argument between Dowling, 29, winner of the second series of Big Brother, and Davidson, 53, came after the comic got a frosty reception from a table of diners.

Walking up to Dowling and the singer Paul Young, Davidson said: "Why do shirt-lifters pull that same face?" Dowling, 29, told him not to use the word'shirt-lifter' as he found it "really rude" to which the comic replied: "I don't care. Gay men have the same look - some gay men have the same look."

Dowling, who said Davidson was the "most offensive" person he'd ever met, was reduced to tears. Davidson denied his remark was a personal attack , adding: "I didn't call you a shirt-lifter. You said, 'I don't like that word', so I said, 'beg your pardon'."

Dowling said: "I am an equal to you Jim in everything we have ever done." Jim said: "Sure - that's what GAY stands for - Good As You."

Last night Davidson said anyone who knew him knew he wasn't homophobic, adding: "Maybe I was Brianophobic. Which I guess is what I was invited in there for... So a result!"