BIG BROTHER 2010

I agree, it was a very good 'warts and all' programme.

The Producer's confession that returning 'Thikki' Grahame to the house was one of the worst mistakes they'd made was very honest! Perhaps if they'd 'fessed up shortly afterwards, instead of waiting four years, then they might have retained some of the viewers' trust.

I personally don't remember her going back in as a massive dent for BB's armour. The Jade race row was the nail in the coffin. Gave the press exactly what they needed to damage the product, and the way Shilpa herself milked it during the series did Channel 4 and Ofcom no favours at the time either.

In my personal opinion, Shilpa killed Big Brother.

At the time I thought that was a mistake - if people wanted Nikki in the house they wouldnt have evicted her in the first place!

I seem to recall Ms Shetti acting with grace and decorum throughout - quite unlike the antagonists in the house that year.

At what stage do you think she "milked it"?

Unlike others at the time I didn't have a problem with Big Brother putting a HM back in the house as Davina had in fact alluded to the possibility during the first eviction (though we now know it wasn't decided upon until later in the series), and of course it had been done before and the next logical step was to put one back in with the chance of winning. It was something that was always discussed as a possibility with Big Brother - and I don't think BB really suffered for it, though Nikki certainly did.

That is high, high praise from you Brekkie! I agree though.

You mean other than the [at least] dozen times she went discussing it in the Diary Room having a camera [and audiences] undivided attention, doing the whole "I'm above this" act, yet then going to the bedroom eyeing up cameras before crying to herself? Doing the Bollywood acting scene proud I must admit...

It was all too easy putting the blame on Jade, calling her racist etc, when in reality she was simply ignorant. You're racist if you do something with intention, knowing it'll cause offence... if you're not educated, and honestly think something's the case, it's simple ignorance. But of course that wasn't harsh enough for the press, so they ended up making her seem evil, with images being burnt around the world as a result.

She said a couple of heated things in an argument that had been building for some time, Shilpa knew she could use it to gain the sympathy vote, and so did the press.

Unlike Jade, Jo and Danielle Shipla didn't need to win the viewers over - and from what I recall she rarely complained about the situation at all, as most of it was done behind her back. The one time she did confront Jade she used one of the best put downs ever - "your claim to fame is this, good for you!" - and then went off and did her own thing, not running to BB crying as you'd like to make out!


Of course it was blown out of proportion, but it should never have happened in the first place. The three girls themselves have to take the blame for their own actions, but I do believe the producers also played a part as that week the HMs had little to do other than sit around and bitch - they had no major task and nominations took place on the Wednesday rather than Monday. It's arguable had the nominations taken place earlier and the three been able to get their feelings about Shilpa off their chests in the diary room, it may not have escalated in the house.

Heck, but it did - and you can't rewrite history. The race row is undoubtedly the turning point in the fortunes of Big Brother - but I think C4's reaction to it is as much to blame as the incident itself. BB8 always had to be a quieter affair as a result, but a year later the fans and the press were all ready to move on - but C4 still seems to be shackled by events of the past and still far too concerned about viewers possibly being offended rather than just making decent television.

I think Channel 4 are monitored more heavily as a result, even if the press and viewers have moved on. The way Emily was kicked out via the Diary Room the following series was a joke, and proof that regulations can go too far.

No doubt the media blew the issue into something massive; but (unlike some of the stories they publish) its not as if they made the whole thing up.

I'd forgotten some of the comments made like, "Indian's can't cook chicken properly - that's why they're all so skinny".

To say its "just ignorance" as a defence to accusations of racism is, frankly, ludicrous. They were, after all, British girls in their 20s who have been educated and have had careers in the entertainment industry. Not really massively different from saying, "gays are paedophiles" or something similarly groundless and offensive.

I think if I had been on the receiving end of sneering and cattyness for 3 weeks I might have spent a fair bit of time in the diary room, and a dare say I would have shed a tear or two.

The whole thing went "off the scale" as Dermot says, as a combination of the event plus the media-fuelled outrage - but you can't argue that but for the fact that the things were said by those three girls, it wouldn't have happened.

I have to lol a bit at you saying "it happened because they were bored because there wasn't enough to do", Brekkie. That argument doesn't work when teenagers who hang around on streets commit crimes - so why would it be a legitimate excuse for bad behaviour on the BB house?

As to littlesmegger blaming the person who was attacked, shunned and insulted - good god; do you also say things like, "she's asking for it" when you see a lady in a short skirt?

Get a clue, for god's sake.

Now that's going completely in the opposite direction. They're all to blame in their own way, but she really did use it to her advantage and get TV time out of it. Don't try and make her look like the innocent party when it comes to tactics, she knew what she was doing, and not only did she win the the show as a result, but she ended up famous and pay worthy in the UK doing it.

Channel 4 were guilty for what happened at the time, and wanted to make things all sunshine and roses by getting it so people backed her to win in the edit. People complain about it occuring for normal un-controversial housemates, why is it any different for blessed Shilpa to be accused with Channel 4 of the same thing?

No, they're not "all to blame in their own way". That's rubbish.

Action > consequence.

BUT FOR the actions of the three antagonists, Shilpa wouldn't have been upset/cried/garnered sympathy/publicity.

Whatever the outcome there were only three people to blame - and they were blamed.

The wider issue about over-cautious producers in subsequent years or anything else that stemmed from it is absolutely irrelevant, and not anything that can be attributed to Shilpa Shetti.

Now, to be clear, I have no particular interest in the lady. Zero. Not a jot.

Not a fan of Bollywood, and I couldn't care less how much work she does or doesn't get in the UK or elsewhere.

But all this "blessed Shilpa" stuff you're saying, with a heavy inference that she's engineered a positive outcome for herself... what the hell is all that about?

You do see right from wrong, don't you?