JIM BOWEN today revealed he had retired from showbusiness after calling a black person a "nig nog" on his radio programme.

The former host of TV gameshow Bullseye resigned from Blackburn-based Radio Lancashire on Friday in the wake of the remark about a female training officer during his morning show 'The Happy Daft Farm'.

BBC bosses said they wanted reassurances that such 'unacceptable' and 'racially offensive' language would not be repeated.

But Bowen, 65, revealed he decided to quit as the management did not deserve "any further difficulties".

Today he spoke of his regret over the incident and said he expected to be forced into retirement from television and radio work.

When asked if he would be retiring after the incident, he said: "Yes, although in this business you don't actually retire.

"What happens is that the phone stops ringing and sometimes little hiccups occur like this one.

"Basically you do as the business tells you."

He said: "No racial connotation was ever intended and, having said all that, I should have been sharp enough to correct the error.

"I almost immediately apologised for it as it was, to say the least, not clever.

"Sadly, when a 65-year-old is employed he brings with him a certain amount of baggage from his era and sadly sometimes this doesn't sit well in 2002.

"The expression I used would identify with the youngsters who were last to be picked in a football team or perhaps weren't the sharpest knife in the box."

"I was 65 in August and perhaps this was nature's way of telling me that I was not up to speed with modern connotations to survive in the current broadcasting climate.

"When you get to 65 the world is telling you that you should take stock in that you get your fuel allowance and free prescriptions and the world is telling you that time is moving on."

Bowen said he would miss all his fans in East Lancashire, a place which is dear to his heart, after hosting the show for three-and-a-half years.

Speaking from his home in the Lune Valley he added: "They were probably the happiest years of my showbiz career, working with Sally Naden and Alec Makinson on the Happy Daft Farm.

"It was a lovely programme, five days a week, which on occasions was wild and I would like to think was a great source of comfort and amusement to our listeners.

"When we started it was a six-month exercise and we all enjoyed it so much that it grew and grew, so enjoyable that we didn't seem to measure time.

"But I suppose coming to the end of the fourth year and reaching 65 it was crossing my mind to leave, but only crossing my mind.

"The BBC management have always treated me with respect and generosity and it just seems a pity that this one lapse in discipline has given the senior echelons a problem.

"I have nothing but praise and admiration for my presenters and producers, Sally and Alec, and for the BBC management."