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Big Brother's sixth series has been criticised for operating "at the limits of acceptability" by watchdog Ofcom.

It rebuked Channel 4 for Kinga Karolczak simulating sex with a bottle and Makosi Musambasi and Anthony Hutton being intimate in a hot tub.

Big Brother presenter Davina McCall was cleared of racial discrimination over what some viewers called a hostile interview with Zimbabwean Makosi.

Ofcom also cleared programme-makers of using racial elements to boost ratings.

Ofcom received 887 complaints about the series, and 259 were specifically about the Kinga scenes.

Channel 4 admitted "the incident was a shocking one" but said it had an obligation to show the scenes to give a true picture of events in the house.

It said the images were edited so only a minimum amount of footage was seen and that they went out after the watershed following a warning to viewers.

Ofcom said Kinga's drunken antics "did amount to potentially dangerous behaviour" but because she regretted her actions and the housemates were not impressed, the message was it was "not behaviour to be condoned or encouraged".

It said the episode was not in breach of the broadcasting code.

However, it added: "We should stress that we only decided this 'on balance' and that our concerns were serious.
"This programme, in our view, along with the (scenes of) Anthony and Makosi in the pool, operated at the limits of acceptability, in terms of potential harm and/or offence for a programme of this nature, broadcast on this channel and at this time."

Makosi and Anthony's antics in the hot tub sparked 32 complaints to the watchdog.

Makosi claimed she could be pregnant and asked for the morning after pill, following the encounter.

The watchdog said the scenes did not break the broadcasting code, adding the issue of whether the pair had sex "was not the issue".

"Much of television is artificial, leading viewers to believe they have seen something that did not occur," Ofcom said.

Story from :
BBC NEWS
Published: 2005/12/19 16:05:03 GMT

More
20 December 2005

Big Brother in clear

The raunchfest that was this year’s Big Brother has been deemed acceptable by TV watchdog Ofcom.

The Jacuzzi saw more action than the CCTV camera at Chinawhite (notching up 32 complaints) and Kinga got personally acquainted with a bottle (receiving a whopping 259 complaints).

The show was even accused of racism after Davina’s hostile interview with Makosi (517 complaints).

Ofcom said: ‘This show operated at the limits of respectability.’

Over 900 complaints but Channel 4 escapes any 'Big Brother' trouble
by Jennifer Whitehead Brand Republic
19 Dec 2005

LONDON - Channel 4 has been cleared of any breaches of the Broadcasting Code during this year's 'Big Brother', despite more than 900 complaints during the course of the series, including the notorious wine bottle scene involving Kinga.

Ofcom published its ruling today on a total of 927 complaints received over the duration of the series, clearing Channel 4 of any breaches of the Broadcasting Code.

The most complained about scene was an interview between 'Big Brother' host Davina McCall and the Zimbabwean nurse Makosi, a contestant who became notorious for telling numerous lies to housemates in the house.

Ofcom said that 517 viewers had complained over the interview, many of whom appeared to have written as part of a campaign. They said that Makosi was subjected to racial abuse on the catwalk, and that McCall treated her unfairly during the interview, which in their view amounted to racial discrimination.

Other scenes that drew the ire of viewers included the infamous drunken night when contestant Kinga took an empty wine bottle and asked her fellow housemates "shall I stick it up my fanny?", moments later appearing to have done exactly that.

It drew 259 complaints, with viewers concerned not only at the offence and the exploitation of the scene, but also that Kinga may have injured herself.

Also drawing complaints from viewers was a scene where Makosi and Anthony appeared to have sex in a hot tub, followed by Makosi requesting the morning-after pill; and a fancy dress party where Craig made advances towards Anthony, who was somewhat the worse for wear.

Channel 4 was not asked to respond to all the complaints. However, it did respond to the Kinga issue, saying it had carefully considered the decision to broadcast the scene. In the end, the broadcaster said it had been included because editorially it had been a major incident. It had been trailed with two warnings, and the footage had been carefully edited so that only the minimum of potentially offensive footage was shown.

In its ruling, Ofcom said: "While the sequences may certainly have been shocking to some, it was broadcast late at night, in the context of a well-known series which is dedicated to showing viewers what actually occurs within the house (however unpalatable that may be), and information was given by Channel 4 to alert viewers before the programme and in the commercial break preceding the scene. For these reasons, the scenes in this programme were not in breach of the rules concerning offence in the Code."

Channel 4 was cleared of breaching the Broadcasting Code in regards to all the other complaints.

brandrepublic

By Lisa Smyth
20 December 2005

Shocking scenes which helped fame-hungry Orlaith McAllister achieve celebrity status have been criticised by broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.

Channel Four has been rebuked for operating "at the limits of acceptability" over an incident in which Big Brother contestants Makosi and Anthony appeared to have sex in the pool.

Up to this stage, the Belfast model was involved in the steamy action and was filmed kissing both Anthony and Makosi, but she stepped out of the water as her fellow housemates seemed to become more intimate.

However, this incident, as well as her habit of strolling semi-naked around the Big Brother house, was enough to catapault Orlaith to the front pages of the tabloids, where she has appeared on a regular basis since sensationally walking off the Channel Four show.

Rest of the story BelfartTelegraph

The NI angle I suppose! (Jim you've misspelt Belfast)

And although I'm not a prude I would have thought sticking a bottle up your **** was beyond the limit.

Must have been a Typo Error Vilt

inthenews
Wednesday, 21 Dec 2005 11:53

Big Brother producers have been given a rap on the knuckles for some of the risque content it included in the latest series of the reality monster.

TV watchdog Ofcom criticised the makers of the show for operating "at the limits of acceptability".

The most notable qualms that the watchdog raised regarding Big Brother 6 were Makosi's frisky antics in the hot tub with the show's winner, Anthony, and Kinga's infamous 'onanistic' incident involving a wine bottle.

The scene where Kinga pretended to have simulated sex with a wine bottle resulted in 259 complaints from viewers, while 887 complaints were received about the series as a whole.

Channel 4 admitted that Kinga-gate was a "shocking" incident, but insisted it was broadcast to give viewers a true insight into events in the house.

Ofcom said that while Kinga's antics were considered "potentially dangerous behaviour", she had shown remorse over her actions and it was clear that her behaviour had not been condoned or endorsed.

Big Brother's presenter, Davina McCall, was cleared by Ofcom of racial discrimination, in relation to what was considered by some to be an aggressive interview with Zimbabwean Makosi.

Programme makers were also cleared of accusations that they had used racial elements in order to ratchet up ratings.