[Red Moon]

BB CRISP ADS AXE

CRISPS giant Walkers have pulled their ads starring Gary Lineker from this series of Big Brother following last year's race row.

All their brands, including upmarket snack Sensations plugged by Charlotte Church, will not be aired during the show's breaks.

Walkers' US parent company PepsiCo is also to pull millions of pounds of advertising of other products, including Pepsi Max, Tropicana, Quaker Oats porridge and P J Smoothies.

The decision, taken by PepsiCo UK's president Salman Amin, is a big blow to struggling Channel 4.

PepsiCo said this did not represent a "specific policy".

But advertising agencies warned the move could have major implications because it suggests brands endorse the shows in which they advertise, posing a threat to editorial independence.

Carphone Warehouse halted its sponsorship of last year's Celebrity Big Brother because of the race row between Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty. A PepsiCo spokesman said: "PepsiCo buys advertising which is consistent with our values. We did not take a policy decision not to advertise in Big Brother."

The spokesman added that Pepsico may decide to begin advertising later in the series.

Source: Daily Mirror