It seems as if this year, everyone is watching and waiting for the Celebrity Big Brother contestants to slip up in some major way.

The show took a years break after the 2007 series became renowned for the race row that kicked off between Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty and now it’s back with all manner of checks balances and systems in place to ensure that a similar situation doesn’t rear it’s head again. However many people seem to want to censor the housemates and ban any sort of risque language or inappropriate topic.

Just this weekend the media was full of stories about Coolio using the N***** word and forums everywhere were buzzing with people wanting him evicted immediately or at least given a serious warning. Today Darnell Swallow, a contestant from the 2008 summer series has revealed that he used the word at least three times whilst in the house and faced no consequences from Big Brother.

But surely that’s ok, isn’t it? Come one we can’t start throwing out housemates every time they use a word that’s not contained within our all new PC dictionary.

I would imagine that each situation needs to be judged on an individual basis and not with an overly heavy hand. Darnell more than likely used the word in passing and not directed at another housemate, just as Coolio used the word while he was describing a dream he had the night before. Did they offend anyone in the house? No. Were they speaking to anyone in a racist manner? No. On the other hand was Jade Goody being racist when she singled out Shilpa Shetty for bullying, called her a poppadom and mocked her accent? It would certainly seem that way. Jade wasn’t just racist but the anger and aggression she displayed towards Shetty was at times very disturbing. It was the pure venom in Goody’s voice that made the situation so dire and memorable.

I really think we have to be careful how we handle future comments from the housemates. Do we really want to see Tommy Sheridan evicted if he calls Michelle Heaton a tart or should Terry Christian get the boot if he happens to call Tina porky? No way! Isn’t it those sorts of rows and incidents that make Big Brother worth watching after all? I would ask people to calm down….way down, and just enjoy the show for what it is. A bit of voyeuristic fun in which people make fools of themselves on a hopefully daily basis. Of course BB can’t allow people to be hateful, aggressive or racist but when they’re just being rude or stupid I think we have to let it go.