This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/entertainment/6732873.stm
The article has changed 12 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Racism row housemate apologises | Racism row housemate apologises |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Big Brother contestant Emily Parr has been shown apologising for using a racially offensive word to another housemate on the reality show. | |
| In scenes filmed as she was being told to leave the Channel 4 show, the 19-year-old drama student said she had not meant the word in an offensive way. | |
| Emily, of Bristol, said the word was "a friendly term" where she came from. | Emily, of Bristol, said the word was "a friendly term" where she came from. |
| Her comment to a black housemate was aired on Thursday night, but the show was prefaced by a warning. | Her comment to a black housemate was aired on Thursday night, but the show was prefaced by a warning. |
| Channel 4 spokeswoman had said earlier in the day that "such behaviour won't be tolerated". | Channel 4 spokeswoman had said earlier in the day that "such behaviour won't be tolerated". |
| This week's eviction vote, in which Emily had been nominated along with Shabnam Paryani, has been suspended. | This week's eviction vote, in which Emily had been nominated along with Shabnam Paryani, has been suspended. |
| Channel 4 has offered to refund viewers who have already called telephone lines to evict either Emily or Shabnam. | Channel 4 has offered to refund viewers who have already called telephone lines to evict either Emily or Shabnam. |
| Charley Uchea is the cousin of footballer Kieran Richardson | Charley Uchea is the cousin of footballer Kieran Richardson |
| In Thursday night's highlights programme, the word Emily used was aired the first time - to give the context of the conversation - but was cut thereafter. | In Thursday night's highlights programme, the word Emily used was aired the first time - to give the context of the conversation - but was cut thereafter. |
| Emily said: "Are you pushing it out, you nigger?" to Charley Uchea while they were dancing in the living room on Wednesday evening. | Emily said: "Are you pushing it out, you nigger?" to Charley Uchea while they were dancing in the living room on Wednesday evening. |
| Emily was later called into the programme's diary room. | Emily was later called into the programme's diary room. |
| When asked to explain what happened, she said she and Charley, together with fellow housemate Nicky Maxwell, had been joking around. | When asked to explain what happened, she said she and Charley, together with fellow housemate Nicky Maxwell, had been joking around. |
| She said it was a "friendly term" where she came from, "not a hurtful word" and that she had not meant it in an offensive way. | She said it was a "friendly term" where she came from, "not a hurtful word" and that she had not meant it in an offensive way. |
| 'No justification' | 'No justification' |
| When Big Brother put it to Emily that the word could be deemed offensive she said: "Yeah, I totally understand. It wasn't the smartest move to make." | When Big Brother put it to Emily that the word could be deemed offensive she said: "Yeah, I totally understand. It wasn't the smartest move to make." |
| I am so sorry - I really didn't mean it offensively Emily Parr | I am so sorry - I really didn't mean it offensively Emily Parr |
| Big Brother told her the word was "seriously unacceptable" before telling her she would be removed from the house. | Big Brother told her the word was "seriously unacceptable" before telling her she would be removed from the house. |
| Emily said: "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. | Emily said: "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. |
| "What about my stuff? Oh my gosh." | "What about my stuff? Oh my gosh." |
| She added: "I am so sorry - I really didn't mean it offensively." | She added: "I am so sorry - I really didn't mean it offensively." |
| In consultation with broadcast executives, the decision was taken to remove Emily from the house because she had breached rules governing contestant behaviour. | In consultation with broadcast executives, the decision was taken to remove Emily from the house because she had breached rules governing contestant behaviour. |
| Angela Jain, head of the Big Brother commissioning team, said: "The word nigger is clearly racially offensive and there was no justification for its use." | Angela Jain, head of the Big Brother commissioning team, said: "The word nigger is clearly racially offensive and there was no justification for its use." |
| The decision to remove Emily was taken in the wake of the alleged racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year. | The decision to remove Emily was taken in the wake of the alleged racist bullying of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year. |