Image copyright JEFF OVERS Image caption Andrew Marr presents a Sunday morning political programme on BBC One
Political sketch writer Quentin Letts has apologised for an article he wrote mocking the disability of broadcaster Andrew Marr.
In a Daily Mail review of the new Robert Peston show on ITV, Letts described Marr as "Captain-Hop-Along, growling away on BBC One, throwing his arm about like a tipsy conductor".
Marr had a stroke in January 2013.
Letts tweeted his apology after an article from media commentator Roy Greenslade appeared in the Guardian.
Greenslade said in his article, called It isn't Funny or Smart for Quentin Letts to Poke Fun at Andrew Marr: "I don't want to come off all namby-pamby.
"I understand that no-one should be beyond criticism and that Letts was exercising his right to press freedom.
"But really Quentin, that was a graceless remark."
He then called for Letts to apologise.
Letts admitted his comments about "the admirable Marr" were "horrid". His tweet of apology was met with comments below it, calling him "utterly disgraceful" and "appalling".
Image caption Quentin Letts describes himself on Twitter as a "journo, author and deputy church warden"
Image copyright The Quentin Letts Twitter Image caption Quentin Letts apologises for his Daily Mail article which mocked Andrew Marr's disability
The Daily Mail article appeared in both the print copy of the newspaper and its online version.
Marr's wife, journalist Jackie Ashley, tweeted about Letts' article, criticising the message it sent out to disabled people.
Image copyright Jackie Ashley Twitter Image caption Jackie Ashley, Andrew Marr's wife, criticises Quentin
The Stroke Association said: "A stroke is not a joke. Stroke survivors deserve our respect and support, and Andrew Marr deserves an apology", before encouraging people make complaints to the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
In a statement to the BBC, the Independent Press Standards Organisation said: "we have received a total of 11 complaints about the article.
"All of the complaints are under Clause 12 (Discrimination), with one or two also citing Clause 1 (Accuracy) or Clause 4 (Intrusion into grief or shock).
"It is IPSO policy not to comment on the identity of individual complainants, so I am unable to confirm the names of anyone who has contacted us on this article."
Robert Peston's new ITV Sunday politics talk show had received lukewarm reviews following its debut this weekend.
Letts reviewed Peston's programme as "breathless and batty - and bound to be a hit".
File photo of Quentin Letts, 2009. 
, a UK political columnist and sketch writer, publicly apologized yesterday after he mocked disabled broadcaster . Letts was reviewing former BBC business editor 's new ITV television show for the ''Daily Mail'' on Sunday when he made the comments. In his column he said Marr, who suffered a stroke in 2013, was like "Captain Hop-Along, growling away on BBC One, throwing his arm about like a tipsy conductor".

Letts posted an apology on his  page after a critical article by , which appeared in ''The Guardian''. Greenslade said "I don't want to come off all namby-pamby. I understand that no-one should be beyond criticism and that Letts was exercising his right to press freedom. But really Quentin, that was a graceless remark."

The apology tweet read, "I fear my sketch reference to the admirable Marr today was horrid. Apologies to all concerned and upset." Letts also replied directly to Greenslade, who updated his article. Letts said "Perhaps I should have been more cautious but I hope that Andrew will forgive it. He has been equally teasing about himself in my company. I admire him." He also added he believes Marr's stroke had "made him more watchable than he was beforehand."

Criticism also came from Marr's wife and . Eleven complaints were filed in relation to the comments to the  according to a BBC statement.

Andrew Marr drew in 1.6 million viewers on Sunday, significantly more than Peston's debut with 166,000 viewers tuning in, according to ''The Guardian''. Peston left the BBC to become ITV's political editor in 2015.


== Sources == 
*
*
*
*