Eamonn Holmes insists that he doesn’t understand the issue with his ‘uppity’ remark when talking about the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle following the huge backlash.
Quizzed on his thoughts about the race row that ensued following his comments about Meghan on This Morning, he exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘I haven’t learnt anything from it.
‘I’d keep it as a national conversation. I don’t have anything to say about it.’
He added: ‘People can make their own judgment whether they think it was a deliberately racist remark or not, so that’s all I have to say about that. People can have their own views on it.’
The 60-year-old presenter was questioned by ITV last month after a complaint was made about his use of the word – which has racial connotations – leading to an apology from the channel.
At the time Ade Rawcliffe, the head of diversity for the broadcaster, wrote to the complainant to explain the situation and insisted: ‘Eamonn was unaware of the history of the term “uppity” and how it could be interpreted when describing Meghan Markle.
‘We are not saying that ignorance is in any way a defence, he was using the term to describe what he interpreted as arrogance.
‘The origins of the term have now been explained to Eamonn and the wider editorial team and it won’t be used again. We apologise for any offence that this may have caused you.’
Historically, the term ‘uppity’ has been used in America to describe slaves who were considered to be acting above their ‘rightful place’ and in the UK, it was used in context of social standing with no racial undertones.
Eamonn’s comment comes after ITV announced in a statement that the conversation about the term ‘uppity’ had been ‘a point of learning’ for the team and that he wouldn’t be reprimanded.
Eamonn and his wife Ruth Langsford have fronted HEINEKEN’S Brewing Good Cheer campaign this year which brings people together in pubs across the country this festive season.
Talking about his involvement in the campaign, Eamonn told us: ‘Loneliness is an awful thing. No one should be on their own at Christmas.
‘No matter how resistful some people are to company and say, “I don’t want need anybody, I don’t need anybody, I’m happy on my own”, I think we just be aware.
‘I often think about my own mother, and she goes, “I don’t want anybody, I don’t want people visiting me,” but actually when it all happens, she loves it.’
‘Pubs are the hub of the community really, and the message is to bring people together.’
This Morning airs weekdays at 10.30am on ITV.
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