|
British viewers to vote in TV race row
2007-01-19
Viewers in Britain will deliver their verdict on an escalating row over alleged racist bullying on a reality TV show, when they choose which of the two main protagonists to boot off the programmme. Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty is up against her tormentor-in-chief Jade Goody -- who has dubbed her "Shilpa Poppadom" -- in a show likely to be watched nervously by politicians as newspapers urge action to restore Britain's image abroad. The man tipped to be Britain's next prime minister, finance minister Gordon Brown, has had his three-day tour of India, which wrapped up Friday, largely overshadowed by controversy over Channel 4's "Celebrity Big Brother" show. With Indian government officials urging their British counterparts to step in and British MPs adding their voice to criticism, Goody is strongly tipped to be the one viewers vote to evict from the Big Brother house. The row has stirred up such passion that members of the public have been barred from the audience for Friday night's eviction. Applause Show, the company which handles ticket allocation for the event, said the decision was due to "controversy and heightened feelings surrounding the evictees". In a further sign of the strength of feeling against Goody, The Sun, Britain's biggest-selling tabloid which once warmed to her goofy ways, came out against her Friday, calling on readers to "evict the face of hate". "At stake is whether we are happy to be seen as a nation willing to tolerate vile bullying and foul-mouthed yobbishness," it said in an editorial Friday. "Britain is being humiliated as clips of BB's four-letter garbage are repeated in every corner of the globe." The head of Britain's race watchdog, Trevor Phillips, said the show raised questions about whether the country is as tolerant of other races and cultures as it believes. "This programme has laid bare the dark heart of private prejudice that all too often sits behind the public veneer of tolerance and it tells us we still have work to do to feel at ease with our diversity," he said. Along with former Miss Great Britain Danielle Lloyd and one-time pop star Jo O'Meara, Goody has reduced Shetty to tears on numerous occasions. Shetty has been called a "dog" and asked whether she lives in a shack, prompting protestors in India to burn effigies of the show's producers. One reader who wrote to The Hindu newspaper said the treatment meted out to Shetty, 31, was "an insult not only to her but the entire Indian community". Several companies associated with the show have withdrawn their support in the face of the row. Mobile phone company Carphone Warehouse on Thursday suspended its sponsorship -- worth an estimated three million pounds (4.5 million euros, 5.9 million dollars). Lloyd's sponsorship deal with an insurance firm has been ditched, while retailer the Perfume Shop has stopped stocking Goody's perfume. More than 38,000 people have complained to media watchdog Ofcom and police have launched an investigation into allegations of racism. There have been some attempts at reconciliation. Shetty has withdrawn her claim of racism, while Goody and Lloyd have apologised for their remarks. Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan has disputed whether comments were racist, instead saying it was "unquestionably a good thing that the programme has raised these issues and provoked such a debate". Some 5.2 million people watched the show Thursday night and viewing figures are expected to hit new highs Friday. London's Metro newspaper predicted Channel 4 would make up to two million pounds as up to four million viewers vote on the eviction by mobile phone. But the broadcaster announced Friday it would donate profits from the vote to charities nominated by contestants.
| 
