Celebrity Big Brother rapped by Ofcom

Channel 4's Celebrity Big Brother 2007 contained 'serious editorial misjudgements', TV watchdog Ofcom has found.

The media regulator found Channel 4 guilty of breaching the broadcasting code and ordered it to make a series of on-air apologies during the new series of Big Brother next week.

Ofcom also confirmed that unseen footage of racist behaviour inside the Big Brother house did exist.

The show was heavily criticised for the alleged racist bullying of Indian actress Shilpa Shetty by fellow contestants Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd.

In its long-awaited report, Ofcom singled out three occasions on which Channel 4 had failed to handle the situation appropriately.

They were: Jade Goody referring to Shetty as "Shilpa Poppadom", Lloyd saying that Shetty should "go home" and the argument over Shetty cooking a chicken, which ended with Lloyd and O'Meara making derogatory comments about Indian eating habits.

"Ofcom takes allegations of racist abuse and bullying on television extremely seriously," the watchdog said.

Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan said: "There were procedural errors and there was human error. But I don't think human error is a disciplinary offence. We are not going to single out any individual."

Mr Duncan said he accepted Ofcom's sanctions but pointed out that the broadcaster had escaped a fine.

Asked if it was a let-off by the watchdog, he replied: "I'm not describing it as that, but we have not been fined so it wouldn't be true to say this is the most serious sanction Ofcom can issue. We believe the sanction is proportionate.

"We absolutely accept that mistakes were made. Our focus now is on learning lessons from this. We accept that we were not sufficiently responsive to the audience and the level of offence caused to the public."

Labour MP Keith Vaz, who led protests in Parliament over the issue and introduced Ms Shetty to Tony Blair on a tour of Westminster, called for Channel Four chief executive Andy Duncan to resign.

He said: "I welcome the adjudication by Ofcom. This is a vindication of the huge number of complaints that were made by viewers about the continual broadcasting by Channel Four of racist comments.

"Channel Four has behaved in an arrogant way which has shown contempt for the code of broadcasting.

"It is only right that they should be punished by having to broadcast, for the first time, an on-air apology.

"Andy Duncan should now apologise to Shilpa Shetty and realise that the contempt that was shown by them during this whole episode, in my view and that of many of the viewers who complained, now merits his resignation."

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.