A TV host who called singer Susan Boyle ‘retarded’ is now facing the sack from his New Zealand show.

Presenter Paul Henry shocked viewers of his New Zealand breakfast show when he started to make jibes about the 48-year-old Scot and refused to apologise.

Thousands of viewers complained after he said about Susan, who has mild learning disabilities: “Here’s the really interesting revelation - she is in fact retarded.

“And if you look at her carefully, you can make it out.”

Disabled charities also made complaints to the TV station TVNZ, the Human Rights Commission and the Broadcasting Standards Authority.

Philippa Sellens from the New Zealand disabled group, Intellectually Handicapped Charity, said: “Paul thought he was being funny but he wasn’t - it was highly offensive. Very few people would have found it funny.”

However, Henry, 49, said: “This is water off a duck’s back for me. These were light-hearted remarks. I can’t recall a time that I’ve regretted saying anything.”