With Race Row Still Rumbling, New British ‘Big Brother’ Kicks off
June 16th, 2007 - Posted in Uncategorized
A reality television show which sparked a racist bullying row involving Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty was back on air for a new series Wednesday.
But moments before the eighth series of “Big Brother” got under way, broadcasters Channel 4 were forced to screen details of the “significant failings” detected by communications watchdog Ofcom over the row.
In January, Ofcom received nearly 45,000 complaints about alleged racist material which centered on Shetty’s treatment at the hands of fellow contestants on the celebrity version of the show.
She was insulted by fellow stars including Jade Goody — a former reality TV celebrity whose profile has plummeted since — and former Miss Great Britain Danielle Lloyd.
Shetty also rowed with fellow contestants when she cooked a chicken and they made derogatory comments about the eating habits of Indian people.
As a punishment for the way it handled the row, Channel 4 had to show the statement, which concluded by saying: “This ensures that the largest number of viewers will be made fully aware of the seriousness of Channel 4’s failure to comply (with Ofcom’s code).”
The code aims to protect viewers from potentially offensive material.
“Big Brother” is a massively popular show with versions worldwide where viewers chose a winner from among contestants whose activities are broadcast around the clock by cameras inside their studio house.
Shetty, 31, won the celebrity version earlier this year for what many viewers saw as a dignified performance in the face of alleged racist bullying.
The latest, non-celebrity version features an all-female cast of contestants and house rules have been tightened to warn against bullying and offensive remarks on the basis of race, religion or sexuality.
“Big Brother” also came under fire in Australia earlier this month when it emerged that a contestant had not been told of the death of her father.
