World-Renowned actor and comedian Rowan Atkinson has backed Boris Johnson in his comments over the burka saying: “You should really only apologise for a bad joke. On that basis, no apology is required.”

Writing in The Times newspaper today, Mr Atkinson says it would be “pointless” for the Uxbridge MP to apologise.

In a letter to the paper the comedy actor says: “As a lifelong beneficiary of the freedom to make jokes about religion, I do think that Boris Johnson’s joke about wearers of the burka resembling letterboxes is a pretty good one. All jokes about religion cause offence, so it’s pointless apologising for them. You should really only apologise for a bad joke. On that basis, no apology is required.”

In his regular column for the Daily Telegraph earlier this week, Boris Johnson said women wearing face coverings “look like letter boxes”, and compared them to ‘bank robbers’.

The Prime Minister was outraged by Mr Johnson’s comments and called for him to apologise however Nigel Farage speaking on the LBC show was quick to point out how the thought Mrs May had misjudged the publics feelings towards the burka.