Barbara Windsor apologises for saying people who don't wear a poppy can 'sod off' during live television interview

'Well, it's not really swearing, because, you know, 'sod' is dirt, isn't it,' she backtracked

(Getty Images)

Barbara Windsor has apologised for swearing on live TV after telling a Sky journalist that anyone who didn’t want to wear a poppy could “sod off”.

Windsor was launching this year’s appeal run by the British Legion, which will see thousands of servicemen and women across the country selling poppies to try and raise more than £1m for the Armed Forces.

But Windsor let her true feelings be known when she was asked what she had to say to anyone who refused to wear a poppy, saying “They can sod off for all I care.”

The journalist in the studio quickly issued an apology, but Windsor, who didn’t realise she was on air, tried to explain herself.

'Sod Off If You Won't Wear A Poppy'

Barbara Windsor's message to people who don't wear a poppy? 'They can sod off.' http://bit.ly/1kdd4QI

Posted by Sky News on Thursday, 29 October 2015

“Well it’s not really [swearing], because, you know, ‘sod’ is dirt, isn’t it. It’s the earth,” she mused.

She later agreed with the reporter’s suggestion that what she really meant was ‘throwing dirt’ at people who disagreed with poppies.

“Yes, yes, that’s it,” she said, nodding.