OMEN
06-07-2007, 03:22 PM
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/43019000/jpg/_43019273_emily_bigbro.jpg
Emily is a drama student from Bristol
Emily Parr has been removed from the Big Brother house for using a racially offensive word to another housemate.
The 19-year-old from Bristol was taken out of the compound at 0330 BST and was forbidden from having any further contact with the 11 other contestants.
A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said that the decision had been taken because "such behaviour won't be tolerated".
This week's eviction vote, in which Emily was nominated along with Shabnam Paryani, has been suspended.
Regret
Channel 4 said the offensive term was not broadcast in the programme during a live stream, and was immediately reported to senior production staff.
The incident will be aired as part of the Big Brother highlights show on Channel 4 on Thursday night.
The broadcaster has said the word will not be bleeped out the first time it is used to give the context of the conversation, but will be cut thereafter.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42990000/jpg/_42990003_charley_bigbro.jpg
Charley Uchea is the cousin of footballer Kieran Richardson
Emily said: "Are you pushing it out, you ******?" to Charley Uchea, while they were dancing in the living room on Wednesday evening.
Indian-born Nicky Maxwell, who was also present, said to Emily: "Erm, I can't believe you just said that."
Charley said "You are in trouble", adding she was "in shock".
Emily replied: "Don't make a big thing out of it... I was joking."
In consultation with broadcast executives, the decision was taken to remove Emily from the house because she had breached rules governing contestant behaviour.
Censured
This includes causing serious offence based on the grounds of race.
Angela Jain, head of the Big Brother commissioning team, said: "The word ****** is clearly racially offensive and there was no justification for its use."
She added: "She [Emily] understands why her involvement has come to an end and she very much regrets what she said.
"I think people watching the show tonight will agree that Emily spoke carelessly rather than maliciously - certainly Charley and Nicky, the two housemates most directly involved in the conversation with her, seemed to accept that she did."
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/43019000/jpg/_43019573_bigbro_lesley203.jpg
The housemates learned the news from a statement left by Big Brother
Ms Jain said that the decision had been taken in the wake of the alleged racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year.
Shetty, at the International Indian Film Academy awards in Sheffield, said: "Intolerance of any form has to be debunked. For a change [Channel 4] has done some good."
The broadcaster was censured by media watchdog Ofcom and ordered to make a series of on-air apologies for the incident which prompted more than 40,000 complaints.
Labour MP Keith Vaz said: "After the Ofcom decision I thought Channel 4 had learnt all the lessons it was possible to learn.
"But I'm afraid they haven't and there's more to be looked at in this whole sorry episode," he added.
A spokesman for the Commission For Racial Equality said: "Whichever way you look at it, the 'n' word is clearly offensive.
"This will show everyone that racism must never be tolerated in any way, shape or form," he added.
BBC
Emily is a drama student from Bristol
Emily Parr has been removed from the Big Brother house for using a racially offensive word to another housemate.
The 19-year-old from Bristol was taken out of the compound at 0330 BST and was forbidden from having any further contact with the 11 other contestants.
A spokeswoman for Channel 4 said that the decision had been taken because "such behaviour won't be tolerated".
This week's eviction vote, in which Emily was nominated along with Shabnam Paryani, has been suspended.
Regret
Channel 4 said the offensive term was not broadcast in the programme during a live stream, and was immediately reported to senior production staff.
The incident will be aired as part of the Big Brother highlights show on Channel 4 on Thursday night.
The broadcaster has said the word will not be bleeped out the first time it is used to give the context of the conversation, but will be cut thereafter.
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42990000/jpg/_42990003_charley_bigbro.jpg
Charley Uchea is the cousin of footballer Kieran Richardson
Emily said: "Are you pushing it out, you ******?" to Charley Uchea, while they were dancing in the living room on Wednesday evening.
Indian-born Nicky Maxwell, who was also present, said to Emily: "Erm, I can't believe you just said that."
Charley said "You are in trouble", adding she was "in shock".
Emily replied: "Don't make a big thing out of it... I was joking."
In consultation with broadcast executives, the decision was taken to remove Emily from the house because she had breached rules governing contestant behaviour.
Censured
This includes causing serious offence based on the grounds of race.
Angela Jain, head of the Big Brother commissioning team, said: "The word ****** is clearly racially offensive and there was no justification for its use."
She added: "She [Emily] understands why her involvement has come to an end and she very much regrets what she said.
"I think people watching the show tonight will agree that Emily spoke carelessly rather than maliciously - certainly Charley and Nicky, the two housemates most directly involved in the conversation with her, seemed to accept that she did."
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/43019000/jpg/_43019573_bigbro_lesley203.jpg
The housemates learned the news from a statement left by Big Brother
Ms Jain said that the decision had been taken in the wake of the alleged racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year.
Shetty, at the International Indian Film Academy awards in Sheffield, said: "Intolerance of any form has to be debunked. For a change [Channel 4] has done some good."
The broadcaster was censured by media watchdog Ofcom and ordered to make a series of on-air apologies for the incident which prompted more than 40,000 complaints.
Labour MP Keith Vaz said: "After the Ofcom decision I thought Channel 4 had learnt all the lessons it was possible to learn.
"But I'm afraid they haven't and there's more to be looked at in this whole sorry episode," he added.
A spokesman for the Commission For Racial Equality said: "Whichever way you look at it, the 'n' word is clearly offensive.
"This will show everyone that racism must never be tolerated in any way, shape or form," he added.
BBC