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| Jade Goody comments 'not racist' | Jade Goody comments 'not racist' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Jade Goody's behaviour on Channel Four's Celebrity Big Brother is not racist, her spokeswoman has said. | Jade Goody's behaviour on Channel Four's Celebrity Big Brother is not racist, her spokeswoman has said. |
| Viewers saw Goody tell Indian actress Shilpa Shetty to "go back to the slums and find out what real life is about". | |
| But Goody's spokeswoman said although "it appears Jade dislikes Shilpa... I don't believe race is the reason". | But Goody's spokeswoman said although "it appears Jade dislikes Shilpa... I don't believe race is the reason". |
| Complaints about the show have reached a record 30,000. Media watchdog Ofcom said it is Channel 4's "responsibility" to respond to viewer concerns. | |
| Ofcom said it was "taking the matter very seriously and monitoring the situation very, very carefully". | |
| Goody's spokeswoman insisted there was no proof Goody, 25, was racist. | |
| "I would urge anyone who says that Jade is a racist to produce the evidence to support the claim," Goody's spokeswoman said on Thursday. | "I would urge anyone who says that Jade is a racist to produce the evidence to support the claim," Goody's spokeswoman said on Thursday. |
| "I have not heard Jade say anything that could be interpreted as a racist remark." | "I have not heard Jade say anything that could be interpreted as a racist remark." |
| 'Victim' | 'Victim' |
| Shetty spoke for the first time of fears that she is a victim of racism on Wednesday. | Shetty spoke for the first time of fears that she is a victim of racism on Wednesday. |
| Shetty, 31 is award-winning Bollywood actress | Shetty, 31 is award-winning Bollywood actress |
| She told housemate Cleo Rocos that she feared she was being targeted because of her race. | She told housemate Cleo Rocos that she feared she was being targeted because of her race. |
| Rocos, comforting the Bollywood actress following the row over stock cubes, told Shetty: "I don't think there's anything racist in it." | Rocos, comforting the Bollywood actress following the row over stock cubes, told Shetty: "I don't think there's anything racist in it." |
| But Shetty said: "It is, I'm telling you." | But Shetty said: "It is, I'm telling you." |
| Reports say Shetty and Goody are to go head-to-head in the next Celebrity Big Brother evictions on Friday, with Goody 1-5 favourite to get the boot. | |
| The latest argument threatens to escalate the international row that has broken out over the show. | The latest argument threatens to escalate the international row that has broken out over the show. |
| 'Go home' | 'Go home' |
| Contestant Danielle Lloyd has also hit out at the Bollywood star, saying Shetty should just "go home" , adding that "she can't even speak English properly". | |
| In a statement, Channel 4 said there had been "no overt racial abuse or racist behaviour," despite more than 27,000 complaints from the public to media regulator Ofcom and 3,000 directly to the channel. | In a statement, Channel 4 said there had been "no overt racial abuse or racist behaviour," despite more than 27,000 complaints from the public to media regulator Ofcom and 3,000 directly to the channel. |
| "Unambiguous racist behaviour and language is not tolerated under any circumstances in the Big Brother house. Housemates are constantly monitored and Channel 4 would intervene if a clear instance of this arose," it said. | "Unambiguous racist behaviour and language is not tolerated under any circumstances in the Big Brother house. Housemates are constantly monitored and Channel 4 would intervene if a clear instance of this arose," it said. |
| However, Channel 4 admitted there had "undoubtedly been a cultural and class clash between her and three of the British females in the house." | However, Channel 4 admitted there had "undoubtedly been a cultural and class clash between her and three of the British females in the house." |
| Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said he takes the issue seriously but will not conduct a "kangaroo court". | |
| He added that he would write to Channel 4 in the next couple of weeks. The channel would then have "a few weeks" to respond. | |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Shilpa Shetty is being victimised for being different, be it by colour, class or culture Urmisha Rathod, Barkingside Send us your comments How politicians got involved | HAVE YOUR SAY Shilpa Shetty is being victimised for being different, be it by colour, class or culture Urmisha Rathod, Barkingside Send us your comments How politicians got involved |
| Complaints have flooded in since housemate Goody, her mother Jackiey Budden and boyfriend Jack Tweed, model Danielle Lloyd and former S Club singer Jo O'Meara allegedly began bullying the 31-year-old actress last weekend. | |
| Shetty has been a victim of regular sniping, has been branded a "dog", and told to clean out the toilet with her teeth by one housemate. | Shetty has been a victim of regular sniping, has been branded a "dog", and told to clean out the toilet with her teeth by one housemate. |
| Lloyd asked whether she has "stubble", while Budden, who has now been evicted from the house, asked whether she lived in a house or a shack. | Lloyd asked whether she has "stubble", while Budden, who has now been evicted from the house, asked whether she lived in a house or a shack. |
| However, the explosion of media coverage has seen audience figures rise, with 3.5 million viewers tuning in on Monday, 4.5 million on Tuesday and 5.2 million on Wednesday - equalling the highest figure for this series since the live launch. | However, the explosion of media coverage has seen audience figures rise, with 3.5 million viewers tuning in on Monday, 4.5 million on Tuesday and 5.2 million on Wednesday - equalling the highest figure for this series since the live launch. |
| Jackiey, Jade and Jack have made it clear they do not like Shilpa | Jackiey, Jade and Jack have made it clear they do not like Shilpa |
| After an exchange of words with Shetty on Wednesday, in which Shetty told Goody she needed elocution lessons, Goody launched into an expletive-ridden rant to Lloyd and O'Meara in which she said "fake" Shetty needed "a day in the slums". | After an exchange of words with Shetty on Wednesday, in which Shetty told Goody she needed elocution lessons, Goody launched into an expletive-ridden rant to Lloyd and O'Meara in which she said "fake" Shetty needed "a day in the slums". |
| She added: "Go in your community and go to all those people who look up to you and be real." | She added: "Go in your community and go to all those people who look up to you and be real." |
| The story has made the headlines in India, and a small-scale protest in the eastern Indian city of Patna saw the burning of an effigy of the show's organisers. | The story has made the headlines in India, and a small-scale protest in the eastern Indian city of Patna saw the burning of an effigy of the show's organisers. |
| Politicians have waded into the row, with Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Jack Straw among those commenting on the programme. | Politicians have waded into the row, with Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Jack Straw among those commenting on the programme. |
| The leader of Unison, the UK's biggest trade union, has attacked Channel 4 over the Big Brother controversy, accusing the station of promoting a "circus of racism" and giving publicity to "louts". | The leader of Unison, the UK's biggest trade union, has attacked Channel 4 over the Big Brother controversy, accusing the station of promoting a "circus of racism" and giving publicity to "louts". |
| Former England batsman, Geoff Boycott, a friend of Shetty, told the BBC Asian Network that he was not impressed by what he had seen so far. | Former England batsman, Geoff Boycott, a friend of Shetty, told the BBC Asian Network that he was not impressed by what he had seen so far. |
| "It is totally alien to most Asian girls, in particular Shilpa Shetty, who's known in India for being a really nice girl; she's not up her own self; she's not full of herself," he said. | "It is totally alien to most Asian girls, in particular Shilpa Shetty, who's known in India for being a really nice girl; she's not up her own self; she's not full of herself," he said. |
| And the National Bullying helpline has reported a rise in phonecalls since the alleged bullying on Celebrity Big Brother. | |
| In their statement, Channel 4 said Shetty had not voiced any concerns of racial abuse to Big Brother. | In their statement, Channel 4 said Shetty had not voiced any concerns of racial abuse to Big Brother. |