Racist remark again, contestant Emily Parr kicked out from ‘Big Brother’

10 June, 2007:

The British reality TV show ‘Big Brother’ has witnessed yet another race scandal, after the one involving Indian actress Shilpa Shetty in January 2007.

Emily Parr, a 19-year-old student and a contestant on Channel 4 reality TV’s ongoing show, was evicted from the show after she called Charlie Uchea, who is African American, a ‘nigger.’

In the show, Emily and Charlie were dancing in the living room when Emily said: “You pushing it out, you nigger?” Charlie then told Emily that her comment might get her into trouble.

Angela Jain, head of the ‘Big Brother’ commissioning team for Channel 4, said: “I think people watching the show tonight will agree that Emily spoke carelessly rather than maliciously.”

Channel 4 did not broadcast the derogatory remark live.

Channel 4 was forced to apologise two weeks ago after regulators ruled that the Celebrity Big Brother program broke broadcasting rules by airing footage of racist insults being hurled at Shilpa Shetty.

The incident involving Shilpa Shetty had sparked a storm of international protests, and Britain’s broadcast regulator Ofcom received a record 44,500 complaints.

Channel 4 said Emily Parr regretted the outburst but it explained that, in light of the reaction drawn by the previous show, it had no choice but to expel her.

The program – created by Endemol NV in the Netherlands in 1999 and produced in dozens of other countries – features a group of contestants who are confined in a house for several weeks under constant camera surveillance.

Television viewers evict the contestants one by one until someone is chosen as the winner of a cash prize.

The show’s tense, claustrophobic atmosphere has proven very fascinating to audiences across the globe, while contestants’ outbursts have regularly drawn controversy and scorn.

Meanwhile, Shilpa Shetty, who had shot to fame during the last season of ‘Celebrity Big Brother,’ has supported Channel 4 TV network’s decision to expel Emily Parr for calling a housemate ‘nigger’ on the reality show.

“I am glad they took a stand. It’s a good thing and a positive thing,” said Shilpa, who successfully fought off racism and bullying on the celebrity version of the show in January.

Shilpa made her comments at a news conference at Leeds Town Hall on the opening day of the International Indian Film Academy Weekend (IIFA), where she appeared with actor and IIFA brand ambassador Amitabh Bachchan.