The BBC has let go a long-standing, award winning comedian from Radio 4 because he was “white and male” and therefore didn’t fit in with diversity targets, he has claimed. Jon Holmes has appeared on Radio 4’s The Now Show for the last eighteen years, as well as co-creating Radio 4’s Dead Ringers, which later transferred to BBC 2, and co-writing the Horrible Histories series for CBBC. In the process his work has won him two Baftas, eight Sony awards and two British Comedy awards. The 47-yr-old took to Twitter to announce that he had been “axed” as bosses wanted to “recast” with “more diversity”. He joked “and I didn’t even punch a producer”. Sad to announce I’ve been axed from @BBCNowShow as ‘we want to recast with more women and diversity’ Tsk. And I didn’t even punch a producer — Jon Holmes (@jonholmes1) September 26, 2016 Speaking out about the decision in an article for the Mail On Sunday, Holmes revealed that he was not the only talent who had been rejected by the BBC because of “positive discrimination”. One female presenter was offered a job only to have it withdrawn by bosses who told her: “We can’t have