Shilpa Shetty comes under racist attack in UK TV show

London, Jan 16 Bollywood actress, Shilpa Shetty, participating in UK’s popular reality TV show ‘Celebrity Big Brother,’ is allegedly the target of racist attacks by fellow contestants, some of whom called her a “dog” and drove her to tears, prompting producers of the show to probe the matter.
UK’s media watchdog Ofcom received 2,000 complaints from viewers about the series since it began early this month, with the majority being about how Shilpa’s housemates treated her.
The watchdog is investigating the complaints.
Shilpa, one of the nine celebrities taking part in the reality show, is being targetted by some housemates because she is Indian, according to the complaints.
The contestants have been locked up in a house since January2 and are being filmed on how well they handle the frictions of daily life and get their fellow housemates’ votes of confidence.
The flurry of complaints was triggered by a row shortly after Friday’s live eviction show, where the Bollywood star was allegedly called a “dog” by contestant Danielle Lloyd.
Viewers believe that Shilpa was targetted by Jade Goody, a previous contestant on the non-celebrity version of the show, whose gaffe-prone persona turned her into tabloid star.
Goody has said Shilpa “makes my skin crawl”, while Lloyd, a former beauty queen, allegedly called her “a dog.”
Jo O’Meara, another contestant, refused to eat a chicken dish prepared by Shilpa because she claimed it was too spicy and undercooked, making the Bollywood beauty burst into tears.
“We are investigating these complaints and if we find there was a case to be had, we would speak to Channel 4 about it,” an Ofcom spokeswoman said.
Channel 4 said: “We do not tolerate bullying or racism in any form.” Big Brother is Channel 4’s most popular show.
‘Jackson Five’ star Jermaine Jackson consoled Shilpa by quoting his brother Michael’s hit ‘Man in The Mirror.’ “They need to look in the mirror before they can make that charge,” he told her.
But Channel 4 has described the situation as “girly rivalry”. Goody’s mother Jackiey more than once referred to Shilpa as “the Indian” while she was on the show and could not pronounce her name. Shilpa’s accent was also allegedly ridiculed by Lloyd and O’Meara.
However, an evicted housemate Ms Carole Malone said she believes the incidents are motivated by jealousy. “Shilpa is too good-looking for her own good,” she told the Asian Network.
“She’s an incredibly powerful and beautiful woman. She is a very strong woman and can handle it. I spoke to her about it when I was in the house.”
Shilpa’s mother Ms Sunanda Shetty told the BBC Asian Network her daughter is “tough” and hoped she “will be able to handle the situation.
“It is a game and there is a life beyond that. I mean, I understand her emotions but I really hope that she is not going to get too affected by this treatment that is being meted out to her,” she said.
Malone said “Shilpa feels that she represents the Indian/ Asian community and doesn’t want to let them or herself down by retaliating.”
PTI