India to complain of Big Brother 'racial abuse'

India is to raise allegations of racism against one of its Bollywood stars on Celebrity Big Brother as the number of complaints about the show rose to 15,000, it was revealed today.

The treatment of Shilpa Shetty by housemates will be raised with Britain by India, adding to pressure on Channel 4 bosses to halt alleged racism on the programme.

Media watchdog Ofcom said today that the number of complaints it had received by this morning about Celebrity Big Brother had risen to 13,000. A further 2,000 viewers have contacted Channel 4 to voice their dismay.

The updated figure for complaints comes as Labour MP and former minister for Europe Keith Vaz called on Channel 4 bosses to take “effective action” against “unacceptable” racist language allegedly used against Shetty on the show.

He told GMTV: “The language that is being used, the way in which it is being used, the things that are being said, are just not acceptable in this day and age.

“For a broadcaster to allow these comments to go out unchecked… I know there are some bleeps here and there and goodness knows what they are saying that has been bleeped out.”

Mr Vaz has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) in the House of Commons condemning the way that Shetty has been treated on the programme.

The chief executive of Carphone Warehouse has also added to the pressure on Channel 4 by saying that he is reviewing the firm’s £3m (€4.6m) annual sponsorship of Celebrity Big Brother in the light of alleged racism in the house.

Charles Dunstone told The Times he was in talks with bosses at Channel 4 due to concerns about the treatment of Shetty.

Complaints began to flood in after Jade Goody, her mother Jackiey Budden and boyfriend Jack Tweed, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O’Meara allegedly began bullying the Indian actress.

In one outburst, Lloyd asked Shetty: “Do you get stubble?”

In another, Budden, who constantly called her “the Indian”, asked: “Do you live in a house or a shack?”

Mr Dunstone said: “We are talking to Channel 4. The sponsorship is constantly under review. Clearly, we are against racism.

“Most people understand that the person who has their name associated with the programme does not necessarily condone the content.”

He added that responsibility for the content of Big Brother lay with the maker of the programme.

Carphone Warehouse began sponsoring Big Brother in 2004. The current deal is thought to be worth £3m (€4.6m) a year.

Mr Dunstone’s comments are the latest blow for the show, which has already seen three celebrities walk out and suffered disappointing viewing figures.

Police revealed that emails containing “unspecified threats” have been sent to Channel 4 against Celebrity Big Brother housemates.

Hertfordshire Police would not say if the emails were related to the furore surrounding the comments made by several housemates about Shetty.

They confirmed they have received a complaint about racist behaviour in the house.

A police spokesman said: “We can confirm Hertfordshire Constabulary received one telephone call complaining about alleged racist behaviour.

“The caller was referred to Ofcom who will be dealing with all complaints of this nature.”

Bookmaker William Hill has cut the odds of Celebrity Big Brother not lasting its scheduled run from 20/1 to 5/2 as pressure builds on the programme.

William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams said: “Channel 4 could make their decision for any number of reasons, and despite the fact that Big Brother is one of their success stories, we will not be offering such generous odds in the future.”

No Big Brother spokesman was available for comment, but a spokesman previously defended the producers’ decision to show the offending remarks.

He said: “The social interactions of the group are part of the Big Brother story and viewers have a right to see these portrayed accurately.

“This is balanced with our duty not to broadcast material that may cause unjustifiable offence.”

Big Brother rules state that anyone guilty of racist abuse in the house can be evicted. In 2002, one contestant told a joke including the word “paki” but he was only given a reprimand.

Tensions continued to run high in the house yesterday, with Goody branding Shetty “pathetic, fake and a liar” in a row over stock cubes.