Influencer KSI has apologised for using the racist slur P**i in a YouTube video and has said he will be taking a break from social media.
The 29-year-old used the derogatory term aimed at people of south Asian heritage while he was involved in a Countdown challenge with the group, The Sidemen.
It prompted a widespread backlash and teacher and broadcaster Mehreen Baig criticised him for “casually throwing around a word that has consistently been used to bully and attack south Asians”.
Later, KSI said on Twitter, “I wanna apologise for saying a racial slur in a recent Sidemen video. There’s no excuse, no matter the circumstances, I shouldn’t have said it and I’m sorry.”
“I’ve always said to my audience that they shouldn’t worship me or put me on a pedestal because I’m human. I’m not perfect, I’m gonna mess up in life, and lately I’ve been messing up a lot. So I’ve decided I’m gonna just take a break from social media for a while.”
KSI, whose real name is Olajide William Olatunji, is a social media influencer with more than 20 million subscribers on YouTube; he also has successful careers in boxing, music and business with his popular Prime energy drink brand.
