Skip to content

Omid Djalili causes anger with Welsh language joke

BBC Omid DjaliliBBC
Djalili took part in the Rhondda Arts Festival Treorchy

Comic Omid Djalili has upset some social media users in Wales with a joke about the Welsh language.

The comedian posted a picture of a road sign for Nantgaredig and the National Botanic Gardens of Wales, bearing the translation Gardd Fotaneg Genedlaethol.

Next to that the 53-year-old Londoner tweeted: "There are worse things than being Welsh, dyslexic & having a terrible stutter. But not many."

The gag sparked a flurry of angry responses.

Marc Jones wrote: "Disappointing that someone with Iranian heritage reckons it's OK to have a pop at a minority culture."

The Barry Horns said: "The showbiz class is rammed with upper middle class people who sneer at Wales."

The account later added: "Imagine the uproar if Rhod Gilbert made a joke about Iranians."

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Presentational white space

Djalili was born to Iranian parents.

Heledd ap Gwynfor tweeted: "There are worse things than being English, ignorant & having a terrible sense of bigotory (sic). But not many."

Djalili - who starred in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Bond movie The World Is Not Enough - responded to a number of the messages.

"Good point well made," he said to Emyr Gareth, who posted a picture of an English sign featuring the word "Loughborough".

Presentational white space

Allow Twitter content?

This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read  and  before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Presentational white space

"Any language looks strange when viewed through the prism of another language," Mr Gareth tweeted. "As a Welsh speaker, this sign looks like a cat's walked over the keyboard! Loughborough - seriously?!"

Louise Barfe issued a "gentle reminder" that BBC Radio 4 head of comedy Sioned Wiliam was a Welsh speaker.

"Going to suggest to Sioned a show with the superb replies," Djalili replied.

Djalili retweeted a number of replies to his tweet.

However, not everyone was irritated by the joke.

OnlyOneCardiffCity tweeted: "Message to the far-too-easily-offended-of-Twitter. Learn to take a joke. Embarrassing babies."

Djalili's remarks follow a gig he played on Saturday, June 29, at Treorchy's Park and Dare theatre as part of the Rhondda Arts Festival Treorchy.