Australian PM demands Brother axe

 

Australia's Prime Minister John Howard has called for the country's Big Brother to be axed after allegations of sexual assault on the reality TV show.

 

Police investigated the programme over the weekend after a female contestant claimed a man held her down while another rubbed his crotch in her face.

 

No charges were made, but two men have been thrown off the programme.

 

"Here is a great opportunity for a bit of self-regulation and get this stupid programme off the air," said Mr Howard.

 

"It is just a question of good taste," Howard told Australian radio as he condemned the show, broadcast by Network Ten.

 

Federal Communications Minister Helen Coonan has referred the programme to Austalia's television standards watchdog.

 

But Network Ten issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to the programme.

 

"Big Brother adheres to all broadcasting codes of practice and all relevant rules and regulations," it said.

 

The programme's producers said two housemates had been pulled from the show because they broke the programme's rules of conduct.

 

No footage of the incident which led to their eviction was shown on the programme, which is now in its sixth series in Australia.

 

The format has been a hit for broadcasters around the world since it made its debut in the Netherlands in 1999.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5139856.stm

This has been all over the Current Affairs programs all week. I frankly don't give a shit.

 

And the "female contestant" claimed later on that it was just a bit of fun and when she said 'no' they stopped.

the way the media made it out, it was as if she had been physically sexually assaulted. she wasn't... physically... as in she wasn't raped. i don't know. they all knew it was in good fun. even the girl. so meh. weird.