Comedian lands place in BGT final after stand-up routine about racism

A comedian who made jokes about racism, being detained by the police and being followed around shops by security has won a place in the Britain’s Got Talent final.

Nabil Abdulrashid won praise from the judges for his routine about in which he took jabs at “angry, far-right guys” and made fun of his “white, liberal, left-wing friend” who says he “doesn’t see colour”.

Joking about being mistaken for rapper Big Narstie while being detained by the police, he said: “People watching will think this is another one of those Black Lives Matter guys doing jokes about stop and search. No! It’s a joke about being fat.

“Big Narstie and I are both fat, we just happen to be black too, don’t throw in the race card guys.

“When do black people ever get mistaken for each other, especially not by police. No!”

He said everyone has to have a “white, liberal, left-wing friend,” because “if I get killed someone has to start the GoFundMe”.

He added: “One of my friends proved to be the worst type of racist, these guys are so empowered by the internet, the internet is the only place you can say whatever you like and not suffer any consequences, unless your name is Wiley.

“He should have known better. Wiley, man, I’m so disappointed.”

The grime star has been permanently suspended from Twitter after a series of anti-Jewish posts.

Abdulrashid finished his set saying: “Before I go I just want to say I understand that comedy is subjective and if I’ve offended anyone at home watching tonight, if you’re upset by anything I’ve said, I just want you to know it wasn’t me, it was Big Narstie.”

Judges David Walliams, Alesha Dixon and Jordan Banjo all voted to give him a place in the final, while Amanda Holden said she would have voted for unicyclist Wesley Williams.

When his name was called Abdulrashid shouted: “South London!”

He added: “It’s not just for me, there’s a lot of people that I represent.

“This changes everything and it’s not just me, a whole lot of people just got made happy.”

Last month, a performance by dance troupe Diversity, inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, sparked around 24,500 complaints to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.

Ofcom previously said it will not investigate the routine, saying it does not consider the performance to be racist.

The watchdog also receive more than 1,900 complaints over an episode of of the talent show which saw Dixon wear a Black Lives Matter necklace.

Ofcom said the vast majority of the complaints related to the judge’s choice of jewellery, which featured the letters B, L and M in gold.

The public will now vote for the last semi-finalist to land a place in the final.

Among those in contention are Williams, paediatric nurse and singer Beth Porch, 11-year-old magician Aidan McCann, as well as 77-year-old drummer Crissy Lee.