The BBC has ceased broadcasting the Kilroy programme after presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk sparked outrage with comments about Arabs.
In a statement, the BBC said it "strongly disassociates itself" from comments Mr Kilroy-Silk made in his newspaper column at the weekend, and has begun an investigation.
Mr Kilroy-Silk last night apologised for the comments adding: "The article contains a couple of obvious factual errors which I also regret."
Under the headline "We Owe Arabs Nothing", he branded Arabs as "suicide bombers, limb amputators, women repressors".
The Commission for Racial Equality has referred the matter to the police.
The BBC statement read: "The BBC strongly disassociates itself from the views expressed in an article by Robert Kilroy-Silk in the Sunday Express of January 4th, 2004.
"We stress that these comments do not reflect the views of the BBC. The BBC is taking the Kilroy programme off air immediately while we investigate this matter fully."
The daily show was due to go out as usual on Monday but will be replaced by an extended half-hour of BBC Breakfast.
Mr Kilroy-Silk, a former Labour MP, provoked widespread criticism when his comments were published.
In the article, he said of Arab countries: "Few of them make much contribution to the welfare of the rest of the world. Indeed, apart from oil - which was discovered, is produced and paid for by the West - what do they contribute? "Can you think of anything? Anything really useful? Anything really valuable? Something we really need, could not do without?"
CRE chairman Mr Trevor Phillips said Kilroy-Silk's comments were "indisputably stupid".
He accused the presenter of trivialising one of the most important and difficult areas of international relations facing the world.
Mr Iqbal Sacranie, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, has complained to BBC1 controller Lorraine Heggessey about the TV host's views.
This is not the first time Kilroy-Silk has been accused of expressing racist views. In 1992, he described Ireland's then EC Commissioner Ray MacSharry as a "redundant second-rate politician from a country peopled by peasants, priests and pixies". He later apologised. - (PA)