[Ross]

FURY erupted last night after the BBC’s Catherine Tate Christmas Special portrayed a Northern Irish family as “terrorists”.

Switchboards were flooded with complaints from viewers blasting the sketch as “bigoted and racist”.

It showed comedienne Tate, 39 – playing a mother handing out Christmas presents to her Irish family.

The grandmother opens hers to find a balaclava, which she puts over her head. Then her delighted husband receives a knuckleduster which he excitedly uses to punch a chair.

The mum’s gift is an apron with a balaclava-clad terrorist and the words “Remember Everything, Forgive Nothing”.
Finally, the gay son is handed a chocolate penis.

One angry caller said: “She displayed a disgusting and childish interpretation of a difficult and sensitive subject. I respected Miss Tate as a talented and clever performer. I am quite happy to admit my mistake.”

A BBC spokesman said of the Northern Ireland sketch: “Catherine’s comedy is never meant to offend and is always based on satire and grotesque exaggeration.”

Regarding the swearing, she added: “Old Nan’s extreme language is fundamental to what makes her funny.”