Bungle In The Jungle

by Erica Morris - Monday 1st December 2008


REALITY TV shows were once again at the centre of a racism row this week, after former EastEnders star Joe Swash used the notoriously anti-semitic term 'sheeny' on the latest series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here.

The 26-year-old actor, who played Micky Swann in the hit soap, was seen moaning in last Thursday's episode about the small amount of food he and his campmates were given as a reward for fellow contestant Robert Kilroy-Silk's success in a Bushtucker Trial.

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Speaking to camera in the Bush Telegraph, Swash said: "It's a bit sheeny", employing a historic East End slur for Jewish immigrants. The inference was, that like the racist stereotype of the Jew, the producers were being stingy.

One incensed viewer who called the Jewish News said: "My father taught me it was one of the most offensive terms for Jewish people. I was just knocked back when I heard it on the show. If it had been a different ethnic minority it wouldn't have made it on the air and the media would have reacted strongly."

Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog, confirmed they had received numerous calls about the offensive remark and promised they were investigating the problem to determine what action should be taken. A spokesperson told the Jewish News: "We have received 19 complaints about the I'm A Celebrity... Get me Out of Here programme broadcast on 20 November. These complaints are being assessed against our Broadcasting Code."

The slur patterns a trend of prejudice on reality shows. Two years ago, there was public outrage over Jade Goody's bullying of Indian actress Shilpa Shetty on Celebrity Big Brother. And, last year, Emily Parr was booted out of the Big Brother House for using the 'n' word. However, disparaging comments about Jews were allowed to pass without anya ction taken.

The Board of Deputies condemned the Swash insult, and told the Jewish News: "Once again, a reality show has exposed the casual use of racial epithets.

"While it might be considere instructive to show that the use of such offensive terms is all too commonplace, it is a sad indictment that they are freely broadcast on prime-time television."

An ITV spokesman said: "We would like to offer our sincere apologies to any viewers who found Joe's comment offensive. The term was unfortunately not recognised as being an offensive one at the time, and there was absolutely no intention [by us or Joe] to cause any offence."

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