Comedian Gina Yashere roasts Andi Peters over his reaction to Miriam Margolyes' racial slur: 'I don't think he's known that he's black for at least the last 35 years'

Comedian Gina Yashere has taken aim at Andi Peters over his reaction to Miriam Margolyes' controversial comments about his race during an appearance on This Morning.

Ms Yashere, 51, was left appalled by what she described as Mr Peters' passive response after Ms Margolyes, 85, used the offensive term 'high yalla' while questioning the presenter's ethnicity and skin colour on the ITV programme last week.

The comedian, who has previously worked extensively in British and American television, claimed Peters' reaction was typical of him and suggested he had long been uncomfortable embracing his black identity.

'That reaction was on brand for Andi Peters,' Ms Yashere said in a video rant online.

'I don't think he's known that he's black for at least the last 35 years.'

Ms Yashere then recalled what she claimed was a previous encounter with Peters at ITV's studios, saying the experience had stayed with her.

'I was on a talent show… I was walking down the hallway of the ITV studios with my black friends and family.

'We saw Andi Peters walking towards us and we are all big fans [of Peters] … I don't think he could have run away from this group of black people faster… I never forgot that.'

Her comments come after Mr Peters, 56, found himself at the centre of an uncomfortable live television exchange with Ms Margolyes on This Morning.

The actress was appearing on the programme to promote her new memoir, Miriam's Full English, when she began questioning Mr Peters about his accent and background.

Comedian Gina Yashere has taken aim at Andi Peters over his reaction to Miriam Margolyes' controversial comments about his race during an appearance on This Morning

Ms Yashere, 51, was left appalled by what she described as Mr Peters' passive response after Ms Margolyes, 85, used the offensive term 'high yalla'

After initially impersonating co-host Christine Lampard's Northern Irish accent, Ms Margolyes asked Mr Peters: 'But what accent would be normal for you?'

'This is normal. This is what I am,' he replied.

The Harry Potter actress then said: 'Oh, you're a mix, aren't you? You've got a black daddy and a white mummy.'

Mr Peters corrected her, saying: 'No, no, no. Both my parents are black.'

He then joked about his appearance: 'What have they put on me, am I a lighter shade than normal?'

Ms Margolyes went on to describe him as a 'high yalla' – a dated and offensive US expression historically used to describe a Black person with a light complexion.

'Both parents are I think you're what I would call a 'high yalla.' That's what they call it in America. Oh, when someone isn't deeply black, right?'

'I didn't even know there were shades,' Mr Peters replied.

Before she answered: 'There are shades'.

The exchange became increasingly uncomfortable, with Mr Peters appearing to receive a warning through his earpiece as producers intervened.

'Oh, okay. They're getting nervous now. They're getting nervous now,' Mr Peters said.

Ms Margolyes responded: 'Don't be nervous,' before adding: 'We welcome everybody. That's what I want to write about in my book. It's about inclusion.'

Miriam Margolyes has addressed the backlash to her 'racism row' with Andi Peters on ITV's This Morning 

The exchange was subsequently removed from the ITVX version of the interview and clips circulated widely on social media, prompting a backlash from viewers. 

Ms Margolyes later addressed the controversy at an audience event for her memoir at the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend.

Asked about the incident, she insisted that she had not intended to embarrass or hurt Mr Peters.

'I didn't want to embarrass or hurt Andi because he seems very nice. I'd never met him before; I didn't know who he was and I didn't know he was black until I saw him. When you see someone, of course you know they're black.

'I wanted to know what he thought about it because that's what interests me.'

She subsequently attempted to explain her interest in people's identities, asking: 'How do black people feel? How do brown people feel? How do cripples feel? How do fat people feel?'

'You see what I mean? All of us feel something about who we are and how people see us, what they think of us.'

The presenter hosting the event clarified that Ms Margolyes had wanted to discuss Mr Peters' identity with him, to which she agreed.

'I am fascinated by other people,' she continued. 'They are the people that interest me, not the celebrities so much. It's everybody. What their story is, what made them who they are, why you are the way you are.'

A representative for Mr Peters has been contacted for comment.