Second Racism Row Hits Channel 4

A second racism row has been stirred on a Channel 4 reality show after one contestant said she supported slavery.

Gap year student Lucy Buchanan, 18, is taking part in Shipwrecked, where two teams on desert islands compete to win a £70,000 prize.

She also said she hated fat people and wanted a return of the British Empire.

The show led to 69 complaints to media watchdog Ofcom, but Channel 4 said she was from a sheltered background and was reprimanded by other contestants.

Celebrity Big Brother recently attracted more than 40,000 complaints over the treatment of Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty by some of her fellow housemates.

Jade Goody, who allegedly made racist comments to Shetty, has since been evicted from the reality show.

The Archbishop of York commented on the row, saying that there is an "ugly underbelly in society only too ready to point the finger at the foreigner, or those who might not fit in".

Dr John Sentamu, who turned down an invitation to appear on Celebrity Big Brother, said it was everyone's duty to tackle racism head-on, both publicly and in private, from "whatever quarter it rears its vicious head".

On Sunday evening's Shipwrecked programme, Ms Buchanan, who is from Edinburgh but attended St Peter's School in York, told fellow islanders: "When I look out at what Britain is, it's just a complete mess.

"I don't appreciate how people come into our country and take over our country. Britain's really not Britain anymore.

"My mind is completely open to different cultures, but I don't think they should bring them to Britain."

She added: "I don't like fat people, I don't really like really ugly people, I don't like it when foreigners come into this country and they don't take on British culture and British values.

"I'm for the British Empire and things. I'm for slavery, but that's never going to come back."

When other contestants tackled her over her views, she said: "I'm terrible at generalising, I'm really bad. I just don't know any [black people]."

A Channel 4 spokesman said: "When Lucy airs her opinions they are immediately criticised, so viewers are instantly aware that her peers find them offensive and unacceptable.

"Those who continue to watch Shipwrecked will see, as the series progresses, Lucy's views change as she interacts and is challenged by other contestants."