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BIG Brother producers have been ordered to turn the show into “Gag Brother” to avoid any more race rows.

Telly chiefs have urged the producers to pick comic characters who will make viewers laugh.

They want a return to the likes of screaming Brian Dowling, 28, outrageous transsexual Nadia Almada, 30, and dopey Glyn Wise, 19.

Even show host Davina MCall agrees it is time to get “back to basics”, adding: “It is meant to be about everyone having a laugh.”

Channel 4 and makers Endemol UK want to put the disastrous Celebrity series behind them. It was dogged by allegations of racist bullying of Shilpa Shetty, 31, and sparked a record 40,000 complaints to TV watchdog Ofcom.

With the new series of BB just two weeks away, bosses want to make sure it is remembered for its fun, not for its clashes.

Host Davina, 39, said: “Big Brother is meant to be light entertainment and about everyone having a laugh.
“During Celebrity Big Brother I was turning up for script meetings and there were lawyers there telling me to make sure people got a fair hearing.

“And I was thinking: ‘Where has my light entertainment programme gone?’ It was depressing.”

Big Brother 8 is due to start on May 30.