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Big Brother to stay on air - C4 | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Channel 4 has said it will keep Celebrity Big Brother on air in the wake of the racism row over the reality television show. | |
But chairman Luke Johnson said in a statement that the board had ordered a review of the programme and regretted any offence that had been caused. | |
The board had spent several hours discussing the alleged bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty. | |
The broadcaster had been facing calls to axe the show completely. | |
Channel 4's non-executive members include Labour peer Lord Puttnam, web entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox and ex-BBC News head Tony Hall. | |
Hall, now chief executive of the Royal Opera House, said earlier : "There is a very good debate to be had. | |
HAVE YOUR SAY She has brought this all on herself - I hope she takes some time out to think about her actions Brenda, Essex Send us your comments "I want to keep all my views for the board meeting in there." | HAVE YOUR SAY She has brought this all on herself - I hope she takes some time out to think about her actions Brenda, Essex Send us your comments "I want to keep all my views for the board meeting in there." |
Mr Johnson has already become the focus of demands from the Commission for Equality and Human Rights to apologise for how the situation was handled. | Mr Johnson has already become the focus of demands from the Commission for Equality and Human Rights to apologise for how the situation was handled. |
Last week Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan told a press conference the programme would not be pulled and any conflict in the Big Brother house had been closely monitored throughout. | Last week Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan told a press conference the programme would not be pulled and any conflict in the Big Brother house had been closely monitored throughout. |
Over the weekend Channel 4 was forced to deny that Goody - widely seen as the focus of antagonism to Shetty - had been coached on what to say in her post eviction interview. | Over the weekend Channel 4 was forced to deny that Goody - widely seen as the focus of antagonism to Shetty - had been coached on what to say in her post eviction interview. |
Goody, 25, admitted Shetty had been subjected to "bullying and racism" on the programme and her behaviour had been the "biggest mistake" of her life. | Goody, 25, admitted Shetty had been subjected to "bullying and racism" on the programme and her behaviour had been the "biggest mistake" of her life. |
Bookies favourite | Bookies favourite |
Media watchdog Ofcom said it had received about 40,000 complaints about the programme. Viewing figures for Friday's late edition of Celebrity Big Brother averaged 7.8 million - peaking at 8.8 million towards the end of the programme, according to unofficial overnight ratings. | Media watchdog Ofcom said it had received about 40,000 complaints about the programme. Viewing figures for Friday's late edition of Celebrity Big Brother averaged 7.8 million - peaking at 8.8 million towards the end of the programme, according to unofficial overnight ratings. |
Saturday's and Sunday's instalments averaged 3.1 million and 3.4 million viewers respectively. | Saturday's and Sunday's instalments averaged 3.1 million and 3.4 million viewers respectively. |
Following Goody's eviction bookmaker William Hill slashed the odds for Channel 4 axing the current Celebrity Big Brother series to 50-1. | Following Goody's eviction bookmaker William Hill slashed the odds for Channel 4 axing the current Celebrity Big Brother series to 50-1. |
It is offering 3-1 that no further series will be commissioned and 6-1 that there will be no more series of the non-celebrity version. | It is offering 3-1 that no further series will be commissioned and 6-1 that there will be no more series of the non-celebrity version. |
Shetty is now odds-on favourite to win the show, with William Hill cutting her price from 5-1 ten days ago to 8-11 now. | Shetty is now odds-on favourite to win the show, with William Hill cutting her price from 5-1 ten days ago to 8-11 now. |