Deaker in fallout shelter

Murray Deaker. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Veteran sports broadcaster Murray Deaker last night apologised for using the phrase "working like a nigger" on his Sky TV show - as he escaped fallout from the controversy at a luxury resort in Rarotonga.

Deaker was criticised by Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres when he used the phrase in relation to a hard-working Southland sheep farmer.

"It was a guy who was a sheep farmer in Central Otago and somebody asked him why he was running the biggest sheep farm," he said on this week's Deaker on Sport.

"And he was working like a nigger at the time. He was just throwing things around."

Deaker last night issued a statement saying: "It was a bad choice of words and I apologise unreservedly."

Sky spokesman Tony O'Brien was quoted as saying the phrase was "widely used". He did not return calls yesterday but Sky corporate communications manager Kirsty Way said O'Brien "would have gone on to say it was once widely used".

"It's certainly not an appropriate phrase to use and this is the view of Sky," she said.

Deaker and his wife Sharon jetted off to Rarotonga on Friday - the day the story broke - where they have been staying at The Rarotongan Beach Resort.

He would not answer the phone in his hotel room yesterday, though he was in the room.

Rooms at the beachfront resort cost between $295 and $995 a night.

A source said he and his wife would return on Wednesday and he would be back on TV that night.

It is understood he will not be hosting his regular Newstalk ZB show today.

Sports personalities and broadcasters backed Deaker yesterday.

His guest at the time he used the phrase, champion rower and Maori sports award recipient Storm Uru, said he was not offended.

"I think in the context it was in, it's not as big a deal as what's been made out. From what I hear from some of the older generation it is a phrase that was widely used. I definitely wouldn't say it myself but in the context it was in, in that situation, I think it was acceptable."

Talkback host Michael Laws said Deaker was being "attacked by the politically correct Nazis who seek to take offence in everything".

"It's about the context it was in. It was not defamatory or derogatory to any group. In fact, it was quite a complimentary remark about this chap ... saying he was hard-working."

"It's ironic that a black person can call another black person a nigger and that's okay."

Deaker, who also has a show on Radio Network-owned Radio Sport is not the first broadcaster in his age group to be in hot water for racial slurs.

Fellow Radio Network broadcaster Paul Holmes sparked outcry in 2003 when he referred to then United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Anan as a "cheeky darkie".

When contacted yesterday Holmes said: "No, no, no, no, no, the answer is no. I'm out of range. I wish you a good day."

Former rugby star Andy Haden also caused a stir for calling Polynesians "darkies".

He made the comments on Deaker's show. At the time Deaker defended Haden, saying he had been treated unfairly by media colleagues.

Yesterday, Haden had words of support for Deaker. "Given a couple of weeks it will have moved on. So if Murray's losing any sleep over this, I don't think it will be for long."

Radio Network talk programming general manager Dallas Gurney said the company had no comment on the matter.

"This is a matter for Sky Sport and Murray Deaker."

Way said by last night Sky had received no complaints.

British TV football pundit Ron Atkinson resigned in 2004 after describing a player as a "f****** lazy thick nigger" when he thought microphones were turned off.