Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie under fire for casting Janette Tough as Japanese fashion designer

'It's hard enough to get into film and TV as a person of color - it's an outrage'

The Krankies (Rex)

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie has come under fire from Margaret Cho after it was revealed Scottish comedian Janette Tough would play a Japanese fashion designer.

The 68-year-old, best known for her comedy act schoolboy Wee Jimmy Krankie, will portray Huki Muki in the upcoming spin-off film.

Cho, also a comedian, wrote on Twitter how she was ‘f***ing sick of yellowface’ in films, saying they should “hire Asian actors for Asian roles”.

She clarified that she was looking forward to the film as she “loves AbFab” but couldn’t watch something which features “yellowface”.

The stand-up added: “It’s hard enough to get into film and TV as a person of colour - and when roles written for us are played by white actors - it's an outrage.”

Producers BBC Films have yet to comment on the situation, Tough, meanwhile, has been spotted shooting scenes for the film wearing black wig, sunglasses and red coat.

Absolutely Fabulous reunites Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley as Edina and Patsy, having played the characters in the BBC TV show which aired between 1994 and 2003, not including specials.

(BBC)

Original cast members Julia Sawalha, Jane Horrocks and June Whitfield will also star in the movie, which has been shooting in the UK and South of France.

The film will see Edina and Patsy living the high life in London. However, all comes crumbling down after the pair are blamed for an incident at a fashionable launch party and a media storm begins.

Fleeing to the French Riviera with no money, they come up with a plan to escape and once more live the high life.

Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie is due for release in 2016.