Contestants at centre of racism row face TV vote

London, Jan 19: Two reality TV contestants at the centre of an international row over racism and bullying face off in a public vote today, and the British media are casting it as a battle between beauty and the beast.

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and Jade Goody have been shortlisted for eviction by fellow housemates on ''Celebrity Big Brother''. Goody is hot favourite to be kicked out after a public telephone ballot.

Shetty's treatment at the hands of the 25-year-old, her mother, boyfriend and three other contestants in the Big Brother house has triggered a storm of protest in Britain and India.

A major sponsor of the show has pulled out, two contestants have had commercial deals suspended or cancelled and Britain's media watchdog has received more than 30,000 complaints from viewers. Even senior politicians have weighed into the row.

Because the house is cut off from the outside world the contestants are oblivious to the controversy.

Either Shetty or Goody, who became famous in Britain only for her performance in an earlier Big Brother show, is in for a big surprise in the evening when they leave the show.

''Celebrity Big Brother'' has prompted intense debate in Britain about whether Shetty's treatment constitutes racism, and to what extent the unseemly scenes that have reduced the 31-year-old to tears are a reflection of British society.

Shetty, an A-list star, has been called a ''dog''. Housemates, who refuse to learn her name, have referred to her as ''the Indian'' and ''Miss Poppadom'', and model Danielle Lloyd said, ''She should fuck off home. She can't even speak English.'' Shetty herself has rowed back from earlier comments suggesting she was a victim of racism. Goody, who challenged on the show to explain her behaviour towards Shetty, said, ''It's not in me to be racial about somebody. If it offends any Indians out there I apologise.''

COMMERCIAL FALLOUT

Channel 4, under increasing pressure to act, yesterday said it would not stop airing the show.

In comments broadcast on Sky News, Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said, ''I think this is racism being presented as entertainment and I think it's disgusting.'' Carphone Warehouse, Europe's biggest mobile phone retailer which paid around 3 million pounds (5.92 million dollars) for a year's sponsorship of this series and another in the summer, said it was pulling out because it did not want to be associated with allegations of racist bullying.

A perfume store withdrew Goody's scent from its shelves while she was on the show, and a motor insurance company has dumped Lloyd as its model.

But audience figures have soared as a result of the publicity, hitting 5.2 million for Wednesday's highlights programme compared with 3.5 million two days earlier.

A spokeswoman said Channel 4 would donate profits from the telephone eviction vote to charity.

British newspapers again featured the story on their front pages in early editions today, with the popular tabloid The Sun running the headline: ''Evict Face of Hate''.

REUTERS

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