A row over racist behaviour towards an Indian contestant on the current version of Big Brother UK will be raised in the House of Commons after British TV watchdog Ofcom and Channel 4 received more than 10,000 complaints about it from viewers of the show.
Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty has come under attack from three of her fellow female contestants in the house who have mimicked her accent, called her a dog, suggested to her that Indians are thin because they are always ill from undercooking their food, and refused to eat food she has cooked, one of them saying "You don't know where those hands have been."
Leicester East MP Keith Vaz told the BBC he tabled an Early Day Motion after being contacted by his constituents, saying the incident highlights just how big the influence of the show is.
"We would not tolerate this kind of racism on other types of television programme and we should not do so on a programme that is watched by millions of people," he said.
Initially Channel 4 said it was nothing more than "girly rivalry", but after all the complaints have wisely backed down from that casual excuse.
"Big Brother does not tolerate bullying or racist abuse in any form. Big Brother is closely monitoring all the housemates and will take appropriate measures to reprimand such behaviour where necessary," a spokesman said, no doubt trying to sound all firm and businesslike.
Get over yourself, mate. And stop referring to yourself in the imaginary third person. We're not children.
Racism was bound to raise its ugly head in Big Brother at some stage - there's only so much shock value to be had from naked flesh, quasi-lesbo jacuzzi kissing and late-night drunken panty raids before you have to start expanding your horizons.
Now try imagine Season 30 of BB. Cannibalism through Satanic ritual, is our tentative prediction, with bestiality an amusing sub-plot.