BBC presenter Isa Guha in race row after describing Jasprit Bumrah as a ‘primate’

BBC presenter and former England cricketer Isa Guha apologised on Sunday night after she became embroiled in a race controversy for describing Indian cricket star Jasprit Bumrah as a “primate” while working for Fox Sports in Australia.

Guha, who has worked as a presenter for the BBC’s Wimbledon and Olympics coverage as well as a cricket commentator, was working on the Australia versus India Test match in Brisbane for the Australian satellite broadcaster when she made the remark during the first session of day two of the second Test.

It happened during a live exchange with fellow commentators Allan Border and Brett Lee. Lee said: “Bumrah, today: five overs, 2-4. So, that’s the tone, and that’s what you want from the ex-skipper.

Guha responded by saying: “Well, he’s the MVP, isn’t he? Most Valuable Primate, Jasprit Bumrah. He is the one that’s going to do all the talking for India, and why so much focus was on him in the build-up to this Test match, and whether he would be fit.”

The comment has sparked controversy in India with newspaper the Times of India comparing it to the “monkeygate” scandal of 2008 when Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh was accused of calling Andrew Symonds a “monkey”.

Guha, who was the first female of Indian heritage to play for England, issued an apology on air before play on day three at the Gabba.

“Yesterday in commentary I used a word that can be interpreted in a number of different ways. I’d like to apologise for any offence caused. I set myself really high standards when it comes to empathy and respect of others.

“If you listen to the full transcript I only meant the highest praise for one of India’s greatest players. And someone that I admire greatly. I’m an advocate for equality and someone who has spent their career thinking about inclusion and understanding in the game.

“I was trying to frame the enormity of his achievement and I’ve chosen the wrong word. And for that I am deeply sorry. As someone who is also of south Asian heritage I hope people would recognise there was no other intention or malice there, and I hope this hasn’t overshadowed what has been a great Test match so far – and I look forward to seeing how it progresses.”

Ravi Shastri, her commentary colleague on Fox Sports and former India captain and coach, praised her “brave” remarks. He said he had been in contact with the Indian team and confirmed no offence had been taken.

Guha’s parents are from Kolkata and she is one of the most prominent British Asian presenters in sport.

She is a lead presenter of the BBC’s cricket on television and has also worked on the corporation’s Wimbledon coverage as well as their programmes from the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Guha has worked extensively in Australia for Fox Sports alongside former England captain Michael Vaughan with both commentating on the current Australia-India series.

The BBC has been contacted for comment.

Isa Guha profile: The rising BBC presenter

Isa Guha has quickly risen to prominence to become one of the most familiar faces in British sports broadcasting.

Unusually for cricket broadcasting, she has broken out of the sport in recent years to appear on the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 39-year-old was a prominent England cricketer, playing more than 100 international matches across all the three formats. She became the first woman of Indian heritage to represent England in any sport when she made her debut aged 17 against India in 2002. She helped England win the 2009 World Cup before retiring three years later.

Guha earned her break in broadcasting that year presenting ITV’s coverage of the Indian Premier League before joining the BBC and becoming a regular fixture on their highlights programme and live coverage of the Hundred while also working on Sky Sports’ coverage.

For the past six years she has been a part of the Fox Sports commentary team in Australia, the subscription broadcaster that has a long-term deal with Cricket Australia.