M A I N   N E W S

Shilpa withdraws racism charge

London, January 18
Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty, at the centre of a fierce controversy over alleged racist slur hurled at her on a British reality TV show, tonight went back on her charge that she was the victim of racism.

“I don’t feel there was any racial discrimination from Jade’s (one of the contestant of the show the Bir Brother) end,” British Channel 4 television quoted her as saying in a statement put on its website.

On yesterday, Shilpa had said she was the victim of racial remarks.

But the channel quoted her this evening as saying that “I don’t feel there was any racial discrimination happening from Jade’s end. I don’t think that’s true. I think there’s lots of insecurities from Jade but it’s definitely not racial.”

The Big Brother asked her if she still thought that Jade’s argument with her two days ago was racially motivated. Shilpa shook her head.

“No, I take it back. Everyone was having an argument. I don’t think that is true now. People say things in a fit of anger. But I stand corrected”, the actress said.

Shilpa said, “It’s been a fractious few days in the Big Brother House. I’m happy today”. “I wasn’t happy two days ago. The way I live, if something has saddened me.. it takes me a day to understand, analyse and then I just leave it right there and then I move on, that’s the way I’ve always lived.”

“Today, I am in a calm frame of mind so I would just like to say that an apology is definitely in order and if Jade apologises I will apologise back and make up with her. I don’t have anything against Jade. I just don’t like the way she speaks”, the Bollywood star said.

“I don’t want people to think and feel that I feel that way. In fact, I would like you to please clarify.. put this as a statement from my side, if you can: I don’t feel there was any racial discrimination happening from Jade’s end. I don’t think that’s true. I think there’s lots of insecurities from Jade, but it’s definitely not racial.” — PTI

‘Big Brother’ sponsor pulls out

London, January 18
The sponsor of reality TV show ''Big Brother'', Carphone Warehouse, said today it was suspending its sponsorship of the current series, saying it did not want its name associated with claims of racist bullying of housemate Shilpa Shetty by fellow contestants.

''We had already made it clear to Channel 4 that were this to continue, we would have to consider our position,'' Carphone Warehouse said in a statement.

''Nothing we saw last night gave us any comfort. Accordingly we have instructed Channel 4 to remove our sponsorship name and branding with immediate effect,'' it added. — Reuters