Sky later said the clip had been pulled and future episodes of The Chop would not be broadcast until the nature and meaning of Darrens tattoos have been fully investigated. British woodworking show The Chop: Britains Top Woodworker has been canceled by AETN U.K.s and Comcasts Sky History channel following controversy over a contestants far-right tattoos. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. They never ask for confirmation: Woman shares hack for getting free drinks at barsputting drinks on random peoples tabs, Did they cook it on the grill with the f*cking Styrofoam?: Customer receives Uber Eats order in melted Styrofoam plate, I spent almost $5,000: Customer says he visited Starbucks 653 times in 2022, Unless your CEO is Pedro Pascal, I would riot: Worker mocks her companys Employee Appreciation gift to her, *First Published: Oct 21, 2020, 2:44 pm CDT, Fill her up: Bartender gives woman a glass of water when the man shes with orders tequila shot, I dont think my store has even sold one: Whataburger employees take picture with first customer who bought a burger box, It was a template used by anyone in the company: Travel agents condescending out-of-office email reply sparks debate. It's safe to say Lumsden. The Sky History Channel is finally investigating contestant Darren Lumsden's neo-Nazi tattoos, but only after serious pushback from viewers. "Amongst the various numerical tattoos on his body, 1988 is the year of his father's death, "The production team carried out extensive background checks on all the woodworkers taking part in the show, that confirmed Darren has no affiliations or links to racist groups, views or comments, "Sky History is intolerant of racism and all forms of hatred and any use of symbols or numbers is entirely incidental and not meant to cause harm or offence.". When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Darren's father has short term memory loss after a serious motorbike crash more than 30 years ago. Sky History tweeted: 'Darrens tattoos denote significant events in his life and have no political or ideological meaning whatsoever. Other contestants wear tank tops and shorts while doing physical labor. A contestants tattoos included symbols that could be connected to far-right ideologies and could cause offence; we sincerely apologise for that and we are sorry that our processes did not prompt further investigation at an earlier stage. Sky History said there was an innocent explanation for the number, but axed the show hours later. But its not just 88 that Twitter sleuths have identified as being problematic. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. he chop woodhe make bedbut most importantlyhe got the code for White Power tattooed on his head pic.twitter.com/VJN9VrpJSU. In an official statement, Sky History said, "The production team carried out extensive background checks on all the woodworkers taking part in the show, that confirmed Darren has no affiliations or links to racist groups, views or comments. But today his 66-year-old parent revealed he was very much alive - and living in a smart three-storey house in Bristol, not far from his carpenter son. The numbers 23 and 16 tattooed on Lumsdens temples are often used to denote white power, the Anti-Defamation League says. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. I have my daughter on the back of my head and my son on my cheek. The UK'sHistory Channelhas suspended broadcasting of its new showThe Chop: Britain's Top Woodworkerafter viewers pointed out that one of the contestants had neo-Nazi tattoos on his face. I can see at least 5 recognised Nazi/white power tattoos on this guy's face. However, Trevor Lumsden, 66, was stunned to hear he had been described as dead after a clip of his woodworker son with comedian Lee Mack on Sky History's The Chop went viral. There's also: 1/11 = AK = Aryan Knights3/11 = 3 K = KKK109 = the claim that Jews have been expelled from 109 nations throughout history, sometimes coupled with 110 = in the hope that the US will be the next one, Dr Adam Rutherford (@AdamRutherford) October 20, 2020. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Sky bosses have halted broadcasting a show after a social media backlash erupted over a Portishead carpenter's tattoos. The show's production company have not responded to requests for a comment. The Campaign Against Antisemitism expressed concern about the tattoos. "I'm. Facebook gives people the power. Big Wheel Film & Television acted professionally, appropriately and in good faith throughout the making of The Chop, following robust due diligence and duty of care processes from casting through to delivery, a spokesman said. However, instead of baking tall towers of bread and cake, the contestants build wooden accessories to decorate a large cabin in the Epping Forest. Dr. Adam Rutherford,who wroteHow To Argue With a Racist, tweeted other possible Nazi symbols on Lumsden's face. Amongst the various numerical tattoos on his body, 1988 is the year of his. Along with the numbers, Mr Lumsden, a joiner from Bristol, appears to have a Sig rune - a symbol often mistaken for a lightning bolt which the Nazis used to symbolise victory - tattooed on the. Darren Lumsden, Actor: Badland. Viewers also spotted "Homegrown" inked above Lumsden's top lip and said he appeared to have 23 and 16 on his temples. They claimed that 88 represented the year his father died. His scalp also appears to be emblazoned with the number 14, which the ADL says is often used as shorthand for the 14 Words the most popular white supremacist slogan in the world, coined by far-right terrorist David Lane. 'These tattoos will be plainly visible to viewers on the show, including younger viewers, which is unacceptable. A TV contest for carpenters has been pulled from Sky schedules over concerns about one of its contestant's tattoos. Sky bosses have halted broadcasting a show after a social media backlash erupted over a Portishead carpenter's tattoos. We want to hear from you! PREVIOUS: Sky History, the joint-venture UK television channel run by A+E Networks UK and Comcast-owned Sky, has defended a contestant on its new reality competition series The Chop after Twitter users accused him of having Nazi tattoos emblazoned on his face. Lee then jokes: "I'm not going to lie to you Darren, if you were the bloke in my town, you wouldn't be known as The Woodman. All issues, problems and concerns identified in relation to Darren Lumsdens tattoos during production were fully reported up to AETN UK, and the broadcasters directives and instructions in response were closely followed. Sky History is intolerant of racism and all forms of hatred and any use of symbols or numbers is entirely incidental and not meant to cause harm or offence.. Sky initially attempted to deflect the growing outrage at the contestants body art by defending it and said in a statement: Darrens tattoos denote significant events in his life and have no political and ideological meaning whatsoever.. And viewers didnt like what they saw. Known as The Woodman, Lumsden has the number 88 clearly inked on his cheek, which is white supremacist numerical code for Heil Hitler. Viewers noticed the tattoos after a teaser was released that featured"The Woodman"(aka tattooed contestant Darren Lumsden). Lee Mack's new TV show has been pulled off air amid fears one of the participants has Nazi tattoos on his face. The Chop: Britain's Top Woodworker, featuring comedian Lee Mack, had invited carpenters to test out their skills to be crowned Britain's best. In a statement before the show was pulled, Sky History said: "Darren's tattoos denote significant events in his life and have no political or ideological meaning whatsoever. Sky HISTORY (@HISTORYUK) October 20, 2020. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Darren Lumsden said the "88" referred to his dad's death, Viewers suggested the tattoos correlated with Nazi and White Supremacist symbols, Lumsden's nickname on the show was The Woodman, Trevor's carer said he hadn't seen his son Darren in years, The show is presented by Rick Edwards, Lee Mack and William Hardie. Because the letter H is the eighth in the alphabet, 88 is considered the numerical version of heil Hitler, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Mr Lumsden, who grew up in Frenchay, told Bristol Live in an interview published ahead of the shows first episode on 15 October that he started started to work with his tattooist on his look 10 years ago after seeing someone with facial tattoos. Darren Lumsden is a contestant on Sky Historys new woodworking show, The Chop, Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Sky axes The Chop after viewers spot Nazi tattoos on contestant, Outrage as Sky features man with Nazi tattoos on woodwork talent show, Police officer fired after ties to neo-Nazi web forum revealed, Neo-Nazi teenager admits encouraging terror attacks, Jewish reporter called Nazi in protests over Covid restrictions, Father of The Chop contestant with Nazi symbol tattoos still alive, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected orders over 100 - eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. The father-of-two, from Bristol is one of ten contestants on the now axed show, which was due to start on Thursday, and is filmed in Epping Forest. 7 Darren Lumsden said the "88". THE Chop contestant accused of having a "Nazi tattoo" claimed it was a tribute to his dead dad - but his father has now said: "I'm alive and kicking.". Since 8 is the eighth letter of the alphabet, it is considered a numerical code for the phrase "Heil Hitler," used by white supremacists. The father added: 'I haven't seen Darren for some years, I didn't know he had tattoos over his face or that he was going to be on TV. Sky History first pulled the series last week pending an investigation into complaints about participant Darren Lumsden's alleged Nazi body art, including the number 88 tattooed on his cheek,. and Englands Ollie Chessum dives in to score his sides second try during the Guinness Six Nations match at Twickenham Stadium, London, Sam Smith arrives for the Brit Awards ceremony, A robin redbreast takes flight in Dublins botanic gardens. Darren Lumsden, a carpenter on Sky Historys new programme The Chop: Britains Top Woodworker, became the centre of attention after a promotional video showed several tattoos visible on his face that depict symbols commonly used by neo-Nazis and white supremacists. 'Sky HISTORY is intolerant of racism and all forms of hatred and any use of symbols or numbers is entirely incidental and not meant to cause harm or offence. These numbers are often used to signify the letters W and P, the initials of White Power. with the same logo. The Chop is hosted by comedian Lee Mack, TV presenter Rick Edwards and master carpenter William Hardie. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. Sky History pulled series last week pending an investigation into complaints about Darren Lumsdens alleged Nazi body art. Some viewers also noted the homegrown tattoo on Lumsdens upper lip, which could be interpreted as a nationalistic sentiment. His support worker, who didn't want to be named, said: 'I've never seen either of them and I've been looking after him for 10 years. View the profiles of people named Darren Lumsden. The tweet has since been deleted, and the company tweeted again on Tuesday saying that it will not broadcast any episodes of The Chop until the investigation is concluded. AETN UK and Sky HISTORY stand against racism and hate speech of all kinds., In its own statement, The Chop producer Big Wheel Film & Television added: Big Wheel Film & Television acted professionally, appropriately and in good faith throughout the making of The Chop, following robust due diligence and duty of care processes from casting through to delivery. 'Some people ask for selfies with me. The comedian said: 'If you were in my town, you wouldn't be known as the woodman, you'd be known as the man with all the tattoos, surely they would take precedence. ", Another viewer wrote: "The bloke with the neo nazi tattoos. The bloke has Nazi tattoos on his face ffs.'. He also appears to have a Sig rune on the right side of his nose, which was used by the Nazis to symbolise victory. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Speaking to The Bristol Post on October 15, Mr Lumsden said: 'About 10 years ago I saw someone with facial tattoos and started to work with my tattooist on my look. Darren Lumsden is an actor, known for Badland (2007). By The comic fronts the Sky History craft show The Chop: Britain's Top Woodworker, which has come under fire on social media for featuring the heavily inked Darren Lumsden. While Sky History hasn't ruled out The Chop resuming its current season featuring Darren Lumsden, viewers shouldn't expect to see new episodes on the airwaves until an investigation is concluded. For some streaming options if Netflix is more your style, swing by our 2020 Netflix premiere guide. New York, 60 were here. The clip remained live until Monday evening, however at 6pm Sky told The Independent that the clip had been pulled and that future episodes would not be broadcast until the matter had been investigated. Amongst the various numerical tattoos on his body, 1988 is the year of his fathers death. For a channel that's supposed to know its history, they were quite easily fooled by Lumsden's excuses for his tattoos. Trevor, who lives in Bristol and has a part-time carer, said: "I'm still alive and kicking, I'm still here. Trevor told MailOnline: 'I'm here aren't I?' Im alive and kicking so Im not dead yet, says 66-year-old Trevor Lumsden, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Cecilia Lenzen is a freelance writer for the Daily Dot. Sky History, the joint-venture UK television channel run by A+E Networks UK and Comcast-owned Sky, has canceled its reality competition series The Chop: Britain's Top Woodworker after questions . Sky History is intolerant of racism and all forms of hatred and any use of symbols or numbers is entirely incidental and not meant to cause harm or offence.. After Sky History tweeted a clip of the show on October 19, users on social media picked up on Lumsden's tattoos and suggested that they have white supremacist meanings. If you're in the market for some TV options now and in the coming weeks, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule! Darren Lumsdon Sky History's claims that 88 represented Lumsden's father's year of death were quickly debunked. Sky HISTORY stands against racism and hate speech of all kinds.. Tattoos include '88', which has been identified as . The Chop: Britains Top Woodworker sees 10 of Britains best carpenters, carvers and woodworkers compete on a series of tasks overseen by comedian Lee Mack and presenter Rick Edwards. But Mr Lumsden's father, 66-year-old Trevor Lumsden, has told the Daily Mail he was indeed alive and had not seen his son for some years. Sky HISTORY stands against racism and hate speech of all kinds. ", Historian Elizabeth Boyle, of Maynooth University, tweeted: WHAT THE F***, @HISTORYUK ? Deadline understands that producers at Big Wheel Film & Television and Motion Content Group spoke to Lumsden about the tattoo during production, while A+E Networks UK programming bosses had a subsequent conversation with the participant to interrogate the matter. Amongst the various numerical tattoos on his body, 1988 is the year of his fathers death, a spokesman said. "You'd be the bloke with all the tattoos. Big Wheel Film & Television co-operated fully with the independent investigation put in place by AETN UK, and shared details of relevant processes, discussions and exchanges, along with supporting evidence and documentation. Will not time travel, but will sneak references to The X-Files into daily conversation. Get him off the f****** TV right now., Comedian Katherine Ryan responded to Skys statement by saying: Ok well thats great news then. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). His carer, who did not want to be named, added: Trevor cant stand racists. That investigation has concluded that the series cannot return to screens because the symbols on Lumsdens face could be connected to far-right ideologies and could cause offence.. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Viewers also spotted a number of other potential white supremacy symbols on Darren's skin, including23 and 16 inked at his temples, allegedly representing the numerical equivalent of 'white power'. As outrage grew on social media, the history channel posted a statement saying: "Darrens tattoos denote significant events in his life and have no political or ideological meaning whatsoever. All Rights Reserved. 'If Sky HISTORY is indeed 'intolerant of racism' as it claims, then it must urgently provide a credible clarification or remove the contestant from the programme.'. Sky History tweeted: 'Darren's tattoos denote significant events in his life and have no political or ideological meaning whatsoever. Some viewers were quick to single out one of his tattoos - a prominent '88' on his cheek - which they took as a right-wing symbol. Next:9 Fakest History Channel Reality Shows (And 6 That Are Totally Real), Source: Pajiba, Sky HISTORY, Dawn Foster, Dr. Adam Rutherford, History Channel: Contestant's Nazi-Numbered Face Tattoos Stop Show Airing, 20 Worst History Channel Shows According To IMDB, Officially Ranked, 9 Fakest History Channel Reality Shows (And 6 That Are Totally Real). Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Another says '23/16', reportedly numerical code for 'white power'. Sky History, the joint-venture UK television channel run by A+E Networks UK and Comcast-owned Sky, has canceled its reality competition series The Chop: Britains Top Woodworker after questions arose over whether a contestant had Nazi tattoos emblazoned on his face. With the letter "H" being the eighth in the alphabet, "88" is regarded as the numerical symbol for "heil Hitler," according to the Anti-Defamation League. The company further said that the production team found "no affiliations or links to racist groups, views or comments" in the "extensive background checks" into the woodworker contestants, including Darren Lumsden. One of his facial tattoos is the number '88', widely recognised as numerical code for 'Heil Hitler'. All of the problematic tattoos are on Lumsdens face, and some viewers pointed out that he always appears in clothing that covers his arms and legs on the show. Mr Lumsden, who grew up in Frenchay, told Bristol Live in an interview published ahead of the show's first episode on 15 October that he started started to work with his tattooist on his "look". As a result, Sky History has released a statement regarding Darren Lumsden's tattoos (via Deadline), saying: While we investigate the nature, and meaning, of Darrens tattoos, we have removed the video featuring him from our social media pages, and will not be broadcasting any episodes of The Chop: Britains Top Woodworker until we have concluded that investigation. A spokesperson for Sky History told The Independent the channel has no further comment while the investigation is underway. 19:33 GMT 21 Oct 2020. Send us a tip using our annonymous form. The Rt Reverend Glyn Webster lights a candle in front of the newly restored Lady Chapel East Window at All Saints North Street in York, one of thirteen stained glass windows from the church undergoing conservation work at Barley Studio, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen on the picket line outside Great Ormond Street Hospital in London during a strike by nurses and ambulance staff, Britains former prime minister Liz Truss leaves her home on February 5, 2023 in London, England. Tom Bedford Ant-Man 3 Writer Defends The Movies Controversial Ending, Star Wars Andy Serkis Talks Being Gutted Over Snokes Death In The Last Jedi, And Whether Hed Reprise The Character, The Mandalorian's Jon Favreau Dropped A Shocking Grogu Reveal Ahead Of Season 3, And I Can't Quite Believe It, Following La Brea's Dino-Sized Cliffhanger, The Showrunner Breaks Down Eve's Fate And That Big Reveal About Gavin, After Trevor Noahs Daily Show Departure, Writer Josh Johnson Talks Everything He Learned From Working With The Comedian. Sky said the symbolism was entirely incidental, adding that amongst the various numerical tattoos on Mr Lumsdens body, the number 88 etched onto his cheek represents the yea 1988, the year of his fathers death. They said the number 88 in white nationalist or neo-Nazi circles can be used as a code to represent 'Heil Hitler', because 'H' is the 8th letter of the alphabet. Darren Lumsden, a carpenter on Sky History's new programme The Chop: Britain's Top Woodworker, became the centre of attention after a promotional video showed several tattoos visible on his. Darren Boyle for MailOnline