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ANGER: Jay Laga'aia says Home and Away did not want to have two ethnic minority characters

AN ACTOR has accused hit Australian soap, Home and Away. of being racist.

Samoan Jay Laga'aia, who played the Rev Elijah Johnson on the Channel 5 show, accused producers of firing him because the series already had a character of an ethnic background.

In an angry Twitter rant he wrote: "As someone who lost his job on H&A because they couldn't write two ethnics that weren't together, I'd like a chance to ply my trade [sic]."

Laga'aia also backed recent claims by fellow actors that Australian shows practice a 'white Australia' policy.

Actor, Firass Dirani, recently argued that Australian television programs do not reflect the country's racial diversity, saying shows need to cast 'different flavours, different cultures'.

Laga'aia, who spent 18 months performing in Home and Away, praised Dirani's calls, writing: "Hats off to you Firass Dirani, for a call to stop commercial network producers casting only white actors. Only on Australian screens. Shame! [sic]."

A spokesperson for the show has reportedly called Laga'aia's comments 'offensive' and has branded the racism accusations 'insulting'.

They said: "We have great regard for Jay and his work on Home and Away during the last two years. It is insulting to suggest that Home and Away is racist."

"His character's storyline reached a natural conclusion," they added.