London: Big Brother bosses are getting ready for an Ofcom investigation after another race row inside the house.
Posh Scott Mason was given an official warning by producers of the reality show and told that he could be kicked off the programme following comments he made about Indian housemate Deana Uppal.
His friends Becky Hannon, 19, Ashleigh Hughes, 21, and Conor McIntyre, 24, were also ticked off.
Last night’s scenes echoed the race row involving Shilpa Shetty, the late Jade Goody and fellow contestants Danielle Lloyd and Jo O’Meara in 2007’s Celebrity Big Brother.
Scott and his pals mocked Deana, 23, for eating with her hands, saying she does it because she is Indian.
“I noticed she was eating cereal with her hands so I said to her: ‘Do you need a spoon?’” the Daily Star quoted Ashleigh as saying.
While Becky and Conor both laughed at Ashleigh’s impression of Deana, 20-year-old Scott ridiculed Indian’s for eating with their hands.
“My dad owned an Indian takeaway and they used to eat everything with their hands. It’s the culture,” he said.
Bosses reprimanded the housemates, saying the comments could be interpreted as racial stereotyping and bullying.
Big Brother told Scott in the diary room: “Big Brother believes that your use of language could be seen as stereotyping and therefore potentially offensive. If you use this type of language again we may have to consider removing you from the house.”
Scott replied: “I’m sorry for getting carried away.”
The incident was similar to the abuse Bollywood star Shilpa, 37, suffered from Jade, Danielle, 28, and Jo, 33, which resulted in more than 50,000 complaints.
During that series, Jade had called her “Shilpa Poppadom” and the girls also complained that she had touched other housemates’ food.
Telly watchdog Ofcom has received nearly 2,000 complaints from fans about the current series of Big Brother after seven incidents of bullying or racism in the house.
Labour MP Keith Vaz, 55, chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, has demanded a probe into bullying inside the house.
ANI
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