Mick Hucknall has allegedly said that ‘ginger’ jibes are as bad as racism, as he hit out at the bullies who make fun of people with red hair.

The Simply Red star said “When it comes to name calling for being ginger or for the way you talk, then that’s simply bullying.  It worries me to think how seven-year-olds running around a playground could get bullied just for the colour of their hair.  It’s like racism, not the same but the principle is similar.  It has become acceptable to mock people for the colour of their hair.  But at the end of the day, you’ve just got to ignore the jibes and get on with things.”

Hucknall claims that people only insult him because they are jealous.   He said “The truth is if you’re successful, you’ve sold a load of albums and slept with a load of women - and all the rest of it is just pure envy.”

Mr Hucknall we be releasing his first solo album on 19 May called ‘A Tribute To Bobby’.