Margolyes, 85, asked the 56-year-old about the race of his parents and called him a historic American slur for a black person with lighter skin during an appearance on the ITV morning show last week.

Vine had praised Peters, posting: “This is seriously nerve-wracking. No filter. @andipeters dealt with it brilliantly but note at the end — ‘they’re getting nervous’.”

Peters thanked Vine for his message, which also contained the footage that has been widely shared on social media and sparked widespread criticism for the language actress Margolyes used.

Peters replied to Margolyes’ comments suggesting he was multiracial by saying: “No, no, no, both my parents are black.”

While Margolyes was speaking, Peters put his hand to his ear, where he had a live link to the show’s producers in the gallery, and said “they’re getting nervous now”, to which Margolyes replied her book was about inclusion, adding: “Don’t be nervous, we welcome everybody.”

She later said: “Not to say that there are some people who should be pushed out, and I’m not going to say who they are, you’ve got to read the book to find out.”

Peters was born in London and began his career on children’s TV presenting Live & Kicking, The Broom Cupboard and Short Change.