Ruby Keane, 24, president of the Cambridge Footlights comedy society. She criticised a lack of opportunities for non-white students

It's known for producing some of Britain’s best-loved comedy stars.

But the Cambridge Footlights society is caught up in a row that is no laughing matter – following the resignation of its president over diversity.

Ruby Keane, 24, a master’s student in creative writing at Wolfson College, said she quit in protest over the system for nominating members – criticising a lack of opportunities for non-white students.

Currently, all 11 committee members are white despite 15 per cent of the student body being from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, The Times reports.

However, other members said that Miss Keane was asked for her resignation over her group management and ‘misuse’ of the role.

The Footlights counts John Cleese and Graham Chapman, the writers of Monty Python’s ‘Argument Clinic’ sketch, among its alumni, as well as fellow Python Eric Idle, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and Sue Perkins.

In an open letter, which was published two weeks ago, Miss Keane wrote: ‘The committee system seems to be a leftover from a time when there were only around ten white men who did comedy in Cambridge.

‘Thankfully, this is no longer the case, and so we must redesign the society to reflect and foster the diverse comedy scene we now have in Cambridge.’ She said she hoped this would put pressure on the society to implement changes needed to increase diversity.

John Cleese (second from left) was a former member of the Cambridge Footlights (pictured with his Monty Python colleagues, left to right: Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Michael Palin and Terry Jones in 2014)

But the remaining members said: ‘We wish Ruby well but we cannot acknowledge her resignation as one of protest.’

The troupe had held a public ‘open meeting’ with student comedians last month to discuss representation of students from different ethnic backgrounds.

Miss Keane also said she thought that Footlight members should not get ‘free passes’ to appear in prestigious society shows, which should have open auditions, and wanted committee members to have specific jobs within the society.

Hugh Laurie (left) and Stephen Fry were also members of the iconic comedy society

The committee said it was already in favour of reforms to improve diversity.

These include creating an ‘administrative committee’ in which members would be chosen not only for their comedy talents but also ‘their commitment to making Cambridge comedy a more diverse and inclusive environment’.