Odds on Shetty to win BB
2007-01-17 16:35
London - Amidst the growing furore about 'racism' in the UK's TV reality show Celebrity Big Brother, the 'target of verbal abuse' has also become the target of bookmakers.
Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty has become the favourite to win the competition.
Bookmaker William Hill quoted odds of 6/4 that she would triumph, after taking a rush of bets for her in the previous 24 hours.
Public sympathy vote
"She has stuck in there and if she now picks up the public sympathy vote, punters certainly believe she will be very hard to beat," said William Hill spokesperson Rupert Adams.
A surge in complaints on Tuesday followed a programme in which another contestant, former member of the band S Club 7 Jo O'Meara, said Indians were thin because they undercooked their food.
Keith Vaz, a member of the house of commons of Indian origin, asked Blair whether broadcasters should take care not to transmit such material.
"I have not seen the particular program in question and cannot comment on it," Blair said.
However, he added, "We should oppose racism in all its forms."
Indian government to take 'appropriate measures'
The Indian government has raised concerns about the program.
Reports of Shetty's treatment ran on front pages of several Indian papers on Wednesday and it was the top story on the television news, which repeatedly showed clips from the show of the weeping actress.
"We are awaiting a report about the show. The government will take appropriate measures once it gets to know the full details," Anand Sharma, India's junior minister for external affairs, told journalists in New Delhi on Wednesday.
In London, the foreign office said it had not received any communication from the Indian government about the programme, nor had the British high commission in New Delhi.
One of the programme's sponsors, Carphone Warehouse, denied reports that it was considering withdrawing.
"We are against racism in any shape or form. As sponsor of Celebrity Big Brother we have no involvement in the content of the programme, but Channel 4 takes these allegations very seriously and we have full faith that they will deal with them in the appropriate way," the company said.
- AP