The transnational outrage over Shilpa Shetty’s “ordeal” in Celebrity Big Brother house has secured its first little victory— the show’s sponsor, Carphone Warehouse, announced today that it was withdrawing its £3 million (Rs 26 crore) a year sponsorship.

Only a day earlier, the mobile phone and telecom firm had insisted it would continue its financial support, one of

the biggest sponsorship deals in UK’s TV history. But Channels 4 is not flinching. A Guardian report said when a journalist approached Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan, he refused comment, and stuck his finger up at a photographer.

The channel later issued a statement saying, “To date there has been no overt racial abuse or racist behaviour — however, there is undoubtedly been a cultural and class clash.”

The cloud over the show’s finances did not, however, mean Shilpa was having a better time in the house of horror. Last night’s furious row between Shilpa and the Gang of Three — Jade Goody, Danielle Lloyd and Jo O’Meara — transgressed all the limits of public decency.

It began over a chat about stock cubes and immediately took the familiar

turn — Jade questioning Shilp’s inability to speak English and then calling her

a “liar”. As Shilpa protested, Jade burst into an expletive-laden tirade: “You need elocution lessons... you need a day in slums. Go to those people who look up to you and be real. You f***ing fake.”

Shilpa threatened to quit and walked out of the room. The Gang laughed. Danielle then said to Jade, “That was f***ing fantastic, I loved it, I think she could f**k off home.” A distraught Shilpa was comforted by a sombre Germaine Jackson: “Calm down, calm down... Walk out from here as the same person that you are. Don’t stoop to that... you have class.”

... contd.