BB8: Eviction cancelled after race storm

8/ 6/2007

TONIGHT'S planned eviction has been cancelled after posh drama student Emily Parr, 19, was removed from the house after she called black contestant Charley Uchea a n***er.

Channel 4 bosses had to act quickly after being damaged by the last series of Celebrity Big Brother, when they were accused of not taking allegations of racist abuse seriously enough.

The race row earlier this year involving Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd, Jo O'Meara and Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty sparked over 44,000 complaints.

But Channel 4 bosses faced criticism again for deciding to screen the word in last night's highlights show - which it said was done to give context to the day's events.

A brief warning that it contained "racially offensive language and strong language" was given before the show started and the word is to be bleeped over in streaming on E4 and in any repeats.

Emily, from Bristol, and receptionist Shabnam Paryani had been facing a public vote to decide who would become the first person to be evicted from the house.

Viewers who had already voted will be able to claim their money back and 10p from every 25p vote will go to charity.

The housemates discovered Emily had been sent home yesterday morning.

Charley, Emily and Nicky Maxwell were standing in the garden at around 8.30pm on Wednesday night when the incident took place.

Charley started to stick out her stomach and Emily said: "You're pushing it out, you n***er."

Both Charley and Nicky told her they were shocked by what she had said.

Woken

At 3am the following morning Emily was woken and called into the diary room.

Asked what she meant by n***er, she said: "Where I come from, it's just like a friendly term you know, making fun of people, being in a group, pally...

"It's not a hurtful word and I would never mean it in an offensive way.

"People say it all around me at home no matter who they are or where they come from."

But when Big Brother put it to her that it could be deemed offensive, she did admit: "Yeah, I totally understand. It wasn't the smartest move to make."

Big Brother told her the word was "seriously unacceptable" and there was no alternative but to remove her from the house.

She said: "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. What about my stuff? Oh my gosh. I am so shocked, I didn't realise that, oh my gosh. I am so sorry - I really didn't mean it offensively..."

"I never meant it like that, not in a million years would I want to offend someone. It's such a shame. I haven't even got any underwear on."

Asked if there was anything else she would like to say, she repeated: "I'm really sorry, I never meant it offensively. I never would mean it offensively. I know people will believe me when I say that.

"I'd just like to say to everyone in the house when they get out, thanks for this, it's been really fun, and ... thanks for this opportunity. Goodbye."

Head of the Big Brother commissioning team for Channel 4, Angela Jain, said the word was used "carelessly rather than maliciously" but that it was "clearly racially offensive".

She added: "She understands why her involvement in Big Brother has had to come to an end and she very much regrets what she said.

"In the wake of Celebrity Big Brother, we must consider the potential offence to viewers regardless of Emily's intentions and her housemates' response.

"The word n***er is clearly racially offensive and there was no justification for its use.

Behaviour

"We have removed Emily from the house to once again make it clear to all housemates and the viewers at home that such behaviour won't be tolerated."

She added that the broadcaster did not want to "hang Emily out to dry" which is why it was important to air the conversation and show viewers their "proportionate response".

The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) said: "Whichever way you look at it, the 'N' word is clearly offensive", but added that it was relieved Channel 4 had acted so quickly.

Pressure group Mediawatch condemned the decision to broadcast the offensive word.

National spokesman Dave Turtle said: "They shouldn't broadcast any material which is racially offensive. This will certainly undermine the programme and more importantly, cause resentment. It's very unhelpful."

Shilpa Shetty said: "I'm glad that Channel 4 has taken action. Well I'm really happy and I compliment them on the action they have taken."

Instead of tonight's eviction, two more men will go into the house to join the only male housemate, Ziggy Lichman who moved in last Friday.

Viewers will get their first glimpses of the newcomers during tonight's second show on Channel 4 at 10.30pm.

All that has been revealed about them so far is that one is teetotal and the second, bizarrely, once visited Hillary Clinton at the White House in Washington and wrote her a poem.

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