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Heard the one about the 'racist' comedian outside the Taj Mahal?

28/ 3/2003

MASTER of the Paki 'joke' Bernard Manning, is set to have his first ever holiday is South Asia.

The man who gained a notorious reputation for telling racist jokes is to tour India.

Bernard, aged 72, of Mainway, Middleton said he will be spending his first ever non-working trip touring the country's great tourist sites. "I know it's not what people expect of me, but I'm full of surprises," he said.

"When I go away, whether it is a quick trip down to Newquay or up to Inverness, I'm always doing cabaret, so I think it's about time I tried to relax. I'm really looking forward to sitting on the beach, handkerchief on my head, surrounded by six million Indians.

"I'm looking forward to it, I believe they've got a couple of comics over there so hopefully, I'll be meeting up with them. I might even consider opening up a take-away over there, Bernard's English Fish and Chips."

However his week-long trip, planned later this month, isn't completely work-free as Bernard will be followed by a Channel 4 camera crew who are making a documentary about his visit.

"But it will still be a holiday, because I won't be working at night, although I might give a performance at some British club - telling jokes about the Brits - and shaking hands with a lot of people."

Bernard, who is semi-retired because of heart problems, said: "I don't like hot weather, but they've got me a first class plane ticket and first class hotels with good air conditioning. I just hope there'll be plenty of time to see snake charmers and some of the famous sights of India."