[Mrluvaluva]

Endemol has denied claims it engineered racist debate and secretly briefed celebrity housemates as "absolute nonsense".

"We are not puppet masters," Endemol UK creative director Tim Hincks told Broadcast.

"The thing about Big Brother is it's very honest – and people may be sniggering behind their cups of tea now – but if there was any evidence of briefing or skulduggery, the audience would spot it immediately.

“Today's sophisticated audience will spot very quickly if people are being dishonest in programme-making."