CORONATION Street bosses are facing a potential investigation over the soap's race row after almost 300 viewers lodged complaints with Ofcom.

The show featured a controversial reference to slavery in Monday night's episode, and the broadcasting watchdog has since been flooded with messages from outraged fans.

6 Cath's character Eva is at the centre of the race row Credit: Splash News

The show's producers issued an apology following a storm of criticism over the bank holiday installment.

The episode showed Catherine Tyldesley's character Eva making an ill-judged comment about US TV show Roots when referring to her hair dye job.

She said: "I’ve got more roots than Kunta Kinte!"

6 She pointed out her roots and made a reference to the US TV show about the slave trade Credit: ITV

6 She was seen at the hairdressers in the controversial scene Credit: ITV

The reference to the show's lead character, who is sold into slavery, shocked viewers, who branded the scene "unacceptable" and accused the show's writers of "casual racism".

The Sun Online can now reveal soap fans have bombarded Ofcom with complaints about the controversial scene.

6 LeVar Burton played Kunta Kinte in the series Credit: Getty Images

The watchdog has recorded 278 complaints so far, and they are considering whether to launch an official probe into the ITV show.

An Ofcom spokesman told us: "Ofcom has received 278 complaints about Coronation Street, which aired on Monday. We will assess these complaints before we decide whether to investigate or not."

An ITV spokesperson said: "We apologise if this dialogue has caused offence."

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6 Roots told the shocking story of slavery in North America Credit: Getty Images

The furore over the Corrie scene hit headlines shortly before another ITV soap landed in hot water over controversial comments.

Emmerdale bosses found themselves in trouble over a joke about Cerebral Palsy which featured in last night's show.

Fans of the soap have even called for the scriptwriters to be sacked over the scene which involved characters Dan Spencer and Nicola King.

6 Many have flocked to Twitter to express their disgust over the Emmerdale scene Credit: ITV

During the show, the pair were seen mocking a condition called Hemiplegia, which is a type of Cerebral Palsy, during a drinking scene.

Nicola told Dan: "You can't go around like that, all cocked.

"You look like you've got that, what is it? Himi, Hemi, Hemiplegia."

Many fans of the show have vowed to switch off in future, while others demanded an apology and punishment for the writers involved.