'Big Brother' bans contestant for using racist term

Channel 4 acted swiftly yesterday to prevent a rerun of last year's damaging racism row by removing a contestant from the Big Brother house for using offensive language.

Emily Parr, a 19-year-old drama student from Bristol, was evicted within hours of calling black housemate Charley Uchea a "nigger".

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Angela Jain, the head of the Big Brother commissioning team at Channel 4, conceded that Ms Parr had not intended to be offensive. She said the word was used "carelessly rather than maliciously" and that, while shocked, neither of the contestants she had been speaking to had been upset by her comments.

But she added: "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 'nigger' is clearly racially offensive and there was no justification for its use."

Shilpa Shetty, the victim of last year's racism row who was attending a film festival in Leeds yesterday, said: "I'm glad that Channel 4 has taken action. I compliment them on the action they have taken."

However, after earning praise from anti-racism campaigners, Channel 4 came under fire for broadcasting the exchange in an edited highlights package last night. It had initially blocked the words during "as-live" streaming on the digital channel E4.

Keith Vaz, the Leicester East MP, described the decision as "absurd". He said: "It negates all the decisive action they took in dealing with it."

The broadcaster, which draws a quarter of its advertising revenue from Big Brother, was badly damaged by the controversy last year following racist comments by Jade Goody and others targeted at Ms Shetty, the eventual winner. The chairman, Luke Johnson, and the chief executive, Andy Duncan, were condemned for failing to respond effectively to the scandal that prompted 44,000 complaints and protests in India.

Channel 4 has also been at the centre of a dispute with the Royal Family after deciding to broadcast pictures of a mortally injured Diana, Princess of Wales.

The Big Brother exchange came at about 8.30pm on Wednesday. Ms Parr and her fellow contestants Ms Uchea and Nicky Maxwell were dancing in the living room. Ms Parr is heard to say: "Are you pushing it out, you nigger?"

The three discussed the remark before Ms Parr agreed to modify her language. But, after discussions, senior Channel 4 executives decided to evict her. She was summoned to the diary room at 3.30am and told to leave. The remaining contestants were told of the decision at 9.30am, moments before Channel 4 issued its statement.

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

A spokesman for the Commission for Racial Equality said: "We can see from this incident that there is no stereotype of a racist, they come from all walks of life, education and social background.

"Two series of Big Brother, two racist incidents - this just shows how prevalent racism is in Britain today."

A spokesman for Tony Blair said: "We totally deplored anything that could be perceived as racist", while Hugo Swire, the shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said: "Racism has no place in modern Britain."

Ms Parr was facing eviction and was odds-on with the bookmakers to exit. Channel 4 suspended Friday's eviction and offered a refund for people who had already voted to remove her from the house.

The offending words

Emily: (referring to Charley dancing/pushing her hips forward) You pushing it out, you nigger.

Nicky: (shocked laughter) Em, I can't believe you said that.

Charley: You are in trouble.

Emily: Don't make a big thing out of it then. I was joking.

Charley: I know you were... but that's some serious shit, sorry.

Emily: Why?

Charley: Oh my god. I'm not even saying it.

Nicky: Just don't talk about it any more.

Emily: I was joking

Charley: Do you know how many viewers would watch that?

Nicky: OK, don't make a big deal out of it.

Charley: Fancy you saying that. I can't believe you said that.

Emily: Somebody has already used that word in this house.

Charley: No way. (Pause) Yeah, me. I'm a nigger.

Nicky laughs.

Charley: I am one. Fancy you saying it. I know maybe you see it in a rap song. Maybe you and your friends sit there saying it.

Emily: I'm friendly with plenty of black people.

Nicky: And you call them niggers?

Emily: Yeah and they call me niggers. They call me wiggers as well.

Nicky: I'm quite shocked.

Charley: I'm fucking in shock.

Emily: It's not a big deal though is it?

Charley: Not for us, it ain't. Fuck me.