The Board of Guardians of British Jews has received instructions from entertainer Rachel Stevens to represent her in a Jewish court of law in order to get an apology from television presenters Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood known as “Dick” and “Dom".

On 10 September, Rachel was seen on the BBC children’s show Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow in which she felt intimidated by the presenters and decided she did not want to continue appearing on the show. Refusing to be “gunged” after being told it contained unkosher ingredients, Rachel used the agreed stop word “oy” but the two presenters Dick and Dom tried to continue with the “gunging".

“Rachel came to us and when we heard what happened, we were truly stunned,” said Board president Harry Greenberg. “Never in our 38 years of existence have we had such a blatant abuse of one of our most beloved entertainers. Not only was the ‘gunge’ made from an unkosher animal which we understand consisted of Emu fat mixed with other ingredients, but the pre-recorded show went out on a Saturday morning which Rachel never agreed to and implied that Rachel was prepared to work on the Sabbath, which quite clearly is not true. Even after the show, McCourt and Wood mocked Rachel which is unacceptable.”

Under her real name, Rachel Steinetski, the Board has also sought guidance from Chief Rabbi Sir Jonathan Sacks. “He has advised us that Rachel has a case somewhat like that of Bernie Winters in 1972 when broadcaster Anglia TV misled him over eating a sandwich which turned out not to be kosher,” said Board head of legal affairs, Miriam Lee. “The then Chief Rabbi, Lord Immanuel Jakobovits issued a powerful edict which got Bernie the apology he deserved.”

The edict in 1972 required anyone Jewish working at Anglia to resign. Over 420 people including the broadcaster’s sales director as well as actors and actresses left to join other broadcasters. It also resulted in the third series of Anglia’s Tales of the Unexpected being cancelled.

“The Chief Rabbi showed he could do it then, and the Chief Rabbi today has said an edict is a possibility unless Rachel gets an apology and a commitment from Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood to stop their verbal and on-screen attacks against her. If it means that Jews at the BBC resign en masse, then that is a clear possibility as once an edict is issued by the Chief Rabbi, every Jew must follow it.”

The court case is set for November 8 at Highbury Beth Din (Court of Law) in London.