Ben Elton appalls fans by using word ‘spastics’ on live TV

Ben Elton appalls fans by using word ‘spastics’ on live TV

COMIC Ben Elton appalled fans by using the word “spastics” on live TV.

He accidentally called disability charity Scope by its former name The Spastics Society, which it scrapped in 1994 after the word became used as an insult.

Ben, a long-standing supporter of Scope, was on BBC1’s Breakfast to plug a Big Comedy Night benefit for the charity which he will host later this month at London’s Hammersmith Apollo.

But last night Scope had forgiven. They said: “We’ll put that down to jet lag. Definitely a slip. We’re really pleased to have Ben headlining at the Apollo.”