The Hindu Business Line : Shilpa or Jade: Viewers vote to decide

It will be a test of who is the fairest of them all, when controversial television-show Celebrity Big Brother's viewers vote out either Indian actress Shilpa Shetty or fellow-contestant Jade Goody, seen to be bullying the actress in the reality show.

British viewers, media and politicians have spoken out to paint a picture of a fair Britain, with no place for racial abuse, overt or otherwise. And the spotlight now is on the viewer vote, whose results will be revealed on Friday night.

Shilpa and Jade have been pitted against each other for the audience vote that will see one of them exit the show. Both have since patched-up on screen, after their acrimonious rows earlier witnessed by viewers.

Television-regulator Ofcom has received over 36,000 complaints against the bad treatment, with perceived racial over-tones, meted out to Shilpa.

The Indian High Commission, too, is keeping its eye on Celebrity Big Brother and spokesperson K.S. Bhardwaj told Business Line that they condemn any form of racism. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has made a statement against racism, he said, pointing out it has been raised at the highest level.

Not just Shilpa, but anyone who is subjected to any form of racism will be supported, he said, adding that Shilpa Shetty has not made any formal complaint.

All through the furore, Channel 4, airing the programme, has maintained its stance saying there is no overt racial abuse.

While Shilpa is among Bollywood's top actresses, fellow-housemates seen to be bullying her like Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O'Meara are relatively unkown to audiences outside the UK. Jade is a dental nurse who became a celebrity featuring on the previous Big Brother show, and is known for her statements such as thinking Rio de Janeiro was a footballer.

Danielle was crowned Miss Great Britain, before being de-throned for having had a relationship with one of the judges, a media report said. And Jo is a former singer in pop band S Club 7, whose solo career did not quite take off, according to local media.

Wary of calling it racial, several British viewers have described the treatment meted out to Shilpa as a clash of cultures; class (represented by Shilpa) vs crass or plain and simple insecurity resulting from Shilpa's glamorous looks.

Television channels have been airing controversial snap-shots from the show, and the controversy has made it to the front page of several newspapers in the UK, including financial papers. Most have spoken in one voice, calling the bullying witnessed on screen a "national disgrace."

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