London, Jan. 19: British television viewers were today voting to decide whether to evict Shilpa Shetty or her would-be nemesis Jade Goody from Celebrity Big Brother with an intensity rarely seen even in general elections.

From India, the chancellor of the exchequer, Gordon Brown, the country’s next Prime Minister, gave interviews to British television, dropping broad hints he would like people to vote for Jade’s eviction.

This is the line taken unanimously by the British media, with today’s Sun publishing six unflattering photographs of Jade, alongside the page one headline: “Evict Face Of Evil”.

As complaints about alleged racism and bullying to Ofcom, the media watchdog, soared to an unprecedented 38,000 by lunch today, Shilpa herself, wearing an embroidered white kaftaan, was shown discussing which of her glamourous outfits to put on for her possible eviction. The race row has revived viewing figures, which were up to 5.7 million for last night’s episode.

Although Celebrity Big Brother is intended to be just a reality television show — and, as such, fun — millions of decent British people are appalled that the behaviour of Jade and the gang that has tormented Shilpa will be interpreted worldwide as a reflection of national attitude as a whole. Although Indians are upset at the insults heaped on Shilpa, the British are agonising at aspects of life exposed by the programme.

Culture secretary Tessa Jowell, who is keen to conclude a co-production treaty with the Indian film industry, has branded the show “disgusting”. “It is racism being presented as entertainment.”

Voting Jade out will be seen as a demonstration to global opinion that Britain remains a fair and tolerant society. The thought of Shilpa being expelled is almost too terrible to contemplate for the British.

Brown told a British TV channel: “I’m not going to tell people how to vote. It’s for people to decide for themselves how to vote, but I think a vote for Britain is a vote for tolerance.”

He said: “A vote for Britain is a vote for sending out a message that we are what I think people in India and right round the world think it is right that we are — that is, we are a country of tolerance and a country of fairness. I think when people are voting, they do know that when they have complained about certain things that have happened, they are saying we are a country of tolerance and fairness.”

Some might find it ludicrous that Britain’s second most senior politician had been dragged into a row over a TV show.

But Brown added: “I know that people in India say that Britain is generally a country of tolerance. It is up to people to cast their votes, but a vote for Britain is a vote for tolerance.”

Evictions are normally done live on television in front of a large crowd, which boos or cheers with equal good humour, but tonight’s was due to be held — exceptionally — before a carefully screened studio audience to avoid any prospect of violence.

“Due to the controversy and heightened feelings surrounding the evictees, there will be no crowd for tonight’s eviction,” said a spokesman for Applause Store, the company which handles ticket allocation.

Following Carphone Warehouse’s suspension of its £3-million contract to sponsor the show yesterday, a perfume promoted by Jade called Shh… has been withdrawn from shelves by the Perfume Shop, a retail chain. Nor is Jade likely to be the only one to suffer the adverse consequences of her injudicious remarks. One of her cheerleaders, 23-year-old model Danielle Lloyd, is losing a contract, believed to be worth six figures, to be the face of the motorcycle insurance firm Bennetts.