[Red Moon]

Police reopen Big Brother racist probe

Big Brother was in crisis today after police said they could re-examine claims of racist bullying.

Officers are waiting to see footage of contestants making up a limerick about Shilpa Shetty referring to the word "****".

The re-opening of the case is based on a tape that was withheld from the original police investigation.

• It will pose a serious threat to bosses at Channel 4 - including chief executive Andy Duncan - and Big Brother producer Endemol.

•Questions are being asked about whether the new series, due to start on Wednesday, can go ahead.

•There is also the possibility of charges against Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd who were accused of leading a campaign against the Bollywood actress.

The investigation was closed in March because police had not been told about the tape. Hertfordshire police said: "If further material does become available to us, we will examine it and make any decisions in liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service."

A report by media watchdog Ofcom accused the broadcaster of "serious errors of judgment".

The channel has already stepped in to veto three contestants put forward by Endemol to try to keep the next shows scandal-free.

The row erupted during the series in January when 46,000 people complained about the alleged bullying. O'Meara was heard saying all Indian people "are skinny because they get sick through eating undercooked food".

Two days later Lloyd said that Shetty should "****** off home" and Goody branded her "Shilpa Poppadum". It became an international incident with effigies of Goody being burned in India.

What the viewers did not see was a 1am conversation between O'Meara, Goody and her boyfriend Jack Tweed, where they tried to find rhymes for happy, tacky and nappy while talking about Shetty.

A spokesman for Endemol said: "It took place late at night and no one noticed that it had happened. It was a serious human error and we hold up our hands to it."

As soon as senior staff were informed, formal warnings were issued to O'Meara and Tweed. Goody had already been evicted. Channel 4 could face accusations of misleading the public over the existence of the material.

Yesterday it was revealed Channel 4 has been ordered to make grovelling apologies for its catastrophic handling of the Big Brother race row.

The television watchdog, Ofcom, has found it guilty of "serious editorial misjudgment".

It said the network broke broadcasting laws on three occasions by airing the racist insults made towards actress Shilpa Shetty.

Channel 4 was also accused of trying to cover up the worst of the bullying, after investigators uncovered unseen footage of housemates alluding to the word "****".

While escaping a huge fine, it will have to screen an apology three times - before the start of the opening episode of Big Brother 8 next Wednesday, again at the start of the repeat the next morning and also before the first eviction show.

The action follows more than 46,000 complaints about the treatment of Miss Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother in January.

In the ruling it said: "Channel 4 failed sufficiently to address the potential for offence or left this behaviour unchallenged. This resulted in offence being caused to a very large number of viewers."

It was revealed that the unseen footage showed the three girls and Goody's boyfriend, Jack Tweed, making up a limerick about Miss Shetty - in which they joked about using a word which rhymed with "tacky".

Big Brother producers asked Miss O'Meara and Mr Tweed into the Diary Room and told them: "It is clear that this was a reference to the racial insult '****'."

Channel 4 claimed it had not been aware of the incident until several days after it occurred.

Critics have suggested that if the footage had been revealed at the time then the broadcaster would have had to take more immediate and stronger action than it did.

Ofcom apparently decided not to impose a financial penalty because the broadcaster had not been "repeatedly reckless" over a long period.

C4's chief executive, Andy Duncan, admitted that it had on occasions not ensured Big Brother had intervened with the necessary "promptness" and "strength".

An internal inquiry into the incident found that behaviour during the controversy had appeared to condone the racist incidents by failing to "intervene forcefully".

He said: "We would like to say sorry once again for the offence caused to viewers."

But, he added: "I don't think this is a resigning issue - we are not going to single someone out for blame - this was human error."

C4 has introduced a "tough" interventions policy for the show. It is also going to launch a Right to Reply-style programme.

Yesterday Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said: "Public service broadcasters hold a very special place of trust with the British people and it is right that they are held to account by the regulator when there are issues of public concern."

Source: This is London

[Lemo]

o please this is realy stupid now

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Rawr
o please this is realy stupid now

if the police never saw the footage OFCOM saw, even though they were supposedly given all the footage.

I agree, with-holding evidence is stupid - maybe its time to pay the piper

[Sunny_01]

Lets hope that by re-opening this they can put it to bed once and for all.

If they do indeed have tapes of them doing this then shame on them all and I hope that criminal proceedings deal with them.

[Cody™]

why why why are they re-opening it now!? now one cares anymore and shilpa certainly doesnt care! i wish theyd put a stop to all this rubbish.

[spacebandit]

Originally posted by Cody™
why why why are they re-opening it now!? now one cares anymore and shilpa certainly doesnt care! i wish theyd put a stop to all this rubbish.

So if you got burgled, robbed blind, then say 6 months later - police got new evidence that could catch the culprit, should they not bother and stop all that rubbish, I mean nobody else cares about it do they ?

Or do you think the police should keep investigating if they get new information ?

[S2]

If they have solid evidence to re-open and look into the matter, then by all means, yes they should.
Using the word and playing around with words that sound similiar but using them for a cover up instead of the actual word is bad in itself. Because they know what they are trying to say but because of the cameras they can't come out and say it, so they play the rhyme game in conjunction to finding words that offer the same sound as the word p**i in reference to Shilpa

[nodisharmony]

Still

Police reopen Big Brother racist probe

Good for them

Big Brother was in crisis today after police said they could re-examine claims of racist bullying.

The police say, "Could?" that means, "Maybe?" to me. I shall wait....

Officers are waiting to see footage of contestants making up a limerick about Shilpa Shetty referring to the word "****".

That was a joke, "a limerick", "a jest", The police can do what they like. Unless there is some good money to be made, there is little point in doing this

The re-opening of the case is based on a tape that was withheld from the original police investigation.

I gather that this was the tape that Endemol refused to hand over, unless they were issued with a court order, Right??

• It will pose a serious threat to bosses at Channel 4 - including chief executive Andy Duncan - and Big Brother producer Endemol.

I saw Andy Duncan on Channel 4 news & I feel quite strongly that this will just fizzle away

•Questions are being asked about whether the new series, due to start on Wednesday, can go ahead.

Did go ahead

•There is also the possibility of charges against Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd who were accused of leading a campaign against the Bollywood actress.

Well Danielle Lloyd has already contacted her solicitor & got the ball rolling. Carole has got her story to the Newspaper's & Jade & Jo are ready when they are

The investigation was closed in March because police had not been told about the tape. Hertfordshire police said: "If further material does become available to us, we will examine it and make any decisions in liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service."

Well, when they get round to it...

A report by media watchdog Ofcom accused the broadcaster of "serious errors of judgment".

That is fact!!

The channel has already stepped in to veto three contestants put forward by Endemol to try to keep the next shows scandal-free.

Girl's

The row erupted during the series in January when 46,000 people complained about the alleged bullying. O'Meara was heard saying all Indian people "are skinny because they get sick through eating undercooked food".

Jo O'Meara accidentally said something which may have offended some people?? Endemol have editors, but, but, but,

Two days later Lloyd said that Shetty should "****** off home" and Goody branded her "Shilpa Poppadum". It became an international incident with effigies of Goody being burned in India.

That will be fanatics like the Shilpa/Gere kiss. Yes?? I tend to turn the channel over when I see fanatics burning effigies, it puts me off my chocolate biscuits

What the viewers did not see was a 1am conversation between O'Meara, Goody and her boyfriend Jack Tweed, where they tried to find rhymes for happy, tacky and nappy while talking about Shetty.

We have heard this story before

A spokesman for Endemol said: "It took place late at night and no one noticed that it had happened. It was a serious human error and we hold up our hands to it."

Holding hands up, now means "Three apologies", That is a let off So better leave Jade, Jo & Danielle alone then

As soon as senior staff were informed, formal warnings were issued to O'Meara and Tweed. Goody had already been evicted. Channel 4 could face accusations of misleading the public over the existence of the material.

Channel 4 have & Jo & Jack were so, so, scared after the Diary Room warnings NOT It's a reality show for god sake

Yesterday it was revealed Channel 4 has been ordered to make grovelling apologies for its catastrophic handling of the Big Brother race row.

So they should Endemol will be more cautious now

The television watchdog, Ofcom, has found it guilty of "serious editorial misjudgment".

Yep

It said the network broke broadcasting laws on three occasions by airing the racist insults made towards actress Shilpa Shetty.

Yep

Channel 4 was also accused of trying to cover up the worst of the bullying, after investigators uncovered unseen footage of housemates alluding to the word "Pa*i".

Well that is just terrible

While escaping a huge fine, it will have to screen an apology three times - before the start of the opening episode of Big Brother 8 next Wednesday, again at the start of the repeat the next morning and also before the first eviction show.

Escaping a fine is great!! I hope I can do that, next time I get a speeding fine or a parking ticket. I will say sorry three times & watch myself waste my time. Obviously more important than this CBB affair.

The action follows more than 46,000 complaints about the treatment of Miss Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother in January.

46,000 moaning minnies

In the ruling it said: "Channel 4 failed sufficiently to address the potential for offence or left this behaviour unchallenged. This resulted in offence being caused to a very large number of viewers."

Yep

It was revealed that the unseen footage showed the three girls and Goody's boyfriend, Jack Tweed, making up a limerick about Miss Shetty - in which they joked about using a word which rhymed with "tacky".

An obvious racist joke, but in the form of a Limerick/Jestlike. Comedians do it too & actually don't bother with words that rhyme either

Big Brother producers asked Miss O'Meara and Mr Tweed into the Diary Room and told them: "It is clear that this was a reference to the racial insult 'Pa*i'."

It did refer to that (P) word

Channel 4 claimed it had not been aware of the incident until several days after it occurred.

A nice excuse convenient

Critics have suggested that if the footage had been revealed at the time then the broadcaster would have had to take more immediate and stronger action than it did.

Well that is regrettable

Ofcom apparently decided not to impose a financial penalty because the broadcaster had not been "repeatedly reckless" over a long period.

That applies to nice housemates, we hope

C4's chief executive, Andy Duncan, admitted that it had on occasions not ensured Big Brother had intervened with the necessary "promptness" and "strength".

What a politician

An internal inquiry into the incident found that behaviour during the controversy had appeared to condone the racist incidents by failing to "intervene forcefully".

If that is how they view it, then what can they do but comply & they did

He said: "We would like to say sorry once again for the offence caused to viewers."

Jade Goody said sorry loads of times & many think she is a racist person regardless. But Andy Duncan is a very good talker & wasn't crying either. Well, not on Channel 4 News anyway.

But, he added: "I don't think this is a resigning issue - we are not going to single someone out for blame - this was human error."

C4 has introduced a "tough" interventions policy for the show. It is also going to launch a Right to Reply-style programme.

Is it?? need more info on that quote?

Yesterday Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said: "Public service broadcasters hold a very special place of trust with the British people and it is right that they are held to account by the regulator when there are issues of public concern."

PoliticiansDon't they go on.






nodisharmony

[spacebandit]

[Scarlett.]

Oh so Hertfordshire must be such a peacefull place for them to be still going over this

[nodisharmony]

Originally posted by Antparker
Oh so Hertfordshire must be such a peacefull place for them to be still going over this

Newspapers at the moment Antparker

Newspapers

Andy Duncan has sorted it

It takes a real good politician's touch to sort out these really difficultly worded apologies.

But I could have done better





nodisharmony