A row over a press release almost caused the cancellation of Bernard Manning's planned appearance in Oakworth next month.

The controversial comedian's manager threatened to call off the April 28 booking due to claims made by venue owner John Tarves. A flurry of phone calls and faxes between the organisers led to the announcement that the show would go ahead after all at the Snooty Fox pub.

Mr Tarves's press release, sent to the Keighley News a fortnight ago, recalled the last time Manning appeared at the pub three years ago.

Mr Tarves wrote: "At that time there were big scale protests from ethnic groups, particularly the Asian community, about racist remarks contained in much of his material.

"Manning readily admits he is a racist but argues that he is also a chauvinist, bigot and homophobic to boot!

"Every group, religion and part of society is 'fair game' for lashings from his sometimes cruel tongue."

Manning's agent-manager Christopher Graham told the Keighley News his client had never said anything of the sort. "It's totally out of order," he said.

Manchester-based Graham insisted Manning was not offensive, simply a comedian who is very funny.

He added: "People portray things of Bernard, but 99 per cent haven't seen his act. They portray him as a beer-swilling lout, but he doesn't drink.

"As for calling him sexist and racist, one of his band members is female, and he's never been charged with being racist. Nothing has ever come of the claims in the newspapers.

"I've got on to the agent who booked the show and we might even cancel that gig. "

Mr Graham later said he was satisfied with Mr Tarves's explanation of how the press release came to be written.

Mr Tarves said that he used the same words as a press release written when Manning last visited Oakworth.

He added: "We only took over the Snooty Fox in July. We have used a different agent. We simply took some of the previous publicity."

Cllr Barry Thorne, Bradford council's leisure chief, says the comments in the release seemed designed to whip up racial and homophobic hatred.

He adds: "Is it right in a town like Keighley that they promote this? I'll be talking to the police. We should seriously look at a club that's booking based on racial hatred. What sort of people are going to go with that sort of press release?"

Janet Armstrong, secretary of Oakworth Village Society, has asked the Keighley News to clarify her comments in our original story about Manning's visit a fortnight ago.

She says the society represents every person in Oakworth and all villagers are welcome to attend meetings to discuss issues.

Public comments might be made on general issues affecting the village, such as new housing developments, and sometimes an informal vote is taken at meetings.

Janet says that on issues such as the planned performance by Bernard Manning, a view for or against is a personal matter for each villager. An official society "opinion" could not reflect everyone's feelings.

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