Contestant thrown off Big Brother for racism

Please note strong language used in second paragraph.

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - A contestant on the latest series of Big Brother was thrown off the show on Thursday for using a racially offensive word, just days after bosses were forced to apologise for a racist row on the show's celebrity version.

Student Emily Parr, 19, was removed from the house in the early hours after she was heard to say: "Are you pushing it out, you nigger?" to black contestant Charley Uchea, 21, Channel 4 said in a statement.

Parr said she did not mean the comment to be offensive and Uchea, who listed racism as one of her dislikes on her Big Brother profile, said she had not taken it personally but was shocked at the language used.

Channel 4 said the exchange was not screened live and was immediately reported to senior production staff who took the decision to remove Parr from the camera-filled house on the grounds that she had broken the rules governing behaviour.

Angela Jain, who heads Channel 4's Big Brother commissioning team, said viewers would agree that the comments were careless rather than malicious.

"She (Parr) understands why her involvement in Big Brother has had to come an end and she very much regrets what she said," Jain said in a statement.

Parr had been up for eviction from the house after being chosen to be one of two housemates who would have to face a public vote.