BBC called to sack Craig Revel Horwood over ‘grossly disrespectful’ rape comment on 8 Out of 10 Cats

The BBC has been called to sack Craig Revel Horwood over his “grossly disrespectful” rape comment on 8 Out of 10 Cats.

An abuse charity is calling for the Strictly Come Dancing judge to be sacked after he admitted to “liking” a rape scene in Game of Thrones.

Host Jimmy Carr asked Revel Horwood if he watched the TV series to which he replied: “No, I persevered for the first series until the dragon came on and that's when I switched off.

“I liked all the sex scenes and the rape and I liked the cleavers through the skulls and I liked all of that, but I got very bored in the end.”

Comedian Katherine Ryan and Irish actress Aisling Bea looked on in disgust.

Clearly taken aback by the comment Bea said: “When they weren't raping anyone? Am I the only one who heard that? What world are we living in? Oh Trump's world, fine keep going.”

Addressing the comments, Marilyn Hawes of Enough Abuse UK said Revel Horwood should apologise and be sacked from the BBC.

Speaking to the Standard she said: “It’s grossly disrespectful and unbelievably insensitive for what is an intensely invasive crime.

“To come out and glibly say that and feel no shame or pick up on the other panellists’ disgust. It’s despicable.

“I can’t see how any TV channel can endorse someone who confesses to liking it.”

Referencing Eric Bristow’s tweets which suggested that the footballers who have come forward as alleged sexual abuse victims were “wimps” – she said: “If Eric Bristow was thrown off Sky Sports for what he said then Craig should be [thrown out of the BBC].

“The BBC cannot let this go. You can’t do this as a professional. He represents a very fun and fantastic family TV show. He, by that one comment, has tainted it in my view.”

Hawes said Revel Horwood must issue a “convincing apology” because his comments “would have deeply distressed people”.

“It’s about time people took seriously the very real impact of sexual abuse. It scars it maims it’s permanent. You cannot make a joke of it.

“This isn’t like dropping the F word this is laughing about abuse. If you like watching stuff like that you need help.”

Horwood said: “I unreservedly apologise for any offence caused by my comments.”

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