Her spokeswoman said: "It is clear to all that Jade and Shilpa are rubbing each other up the wrong way, but what is going on is nothing more than a clash of personalities between two strong characters who have placed themselves in the unnatural and stressful environment of the Big Brother house.

"Jade will be mortified when she comes out to learn that her conduct is being interpreted as racist."

Jade’s CBB behaviour ’not racist’ - Jan 18 2007
Jade Goody’s behaviour on Celebrity Big Brother has not been racist, her spokeswoman insisted today.

Complaints about the show have now reached 30,000, following last night’s episode in which Jade launched a foul-mouthed tirade against Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty.

Viewers saw her tell Shilpa: "Go back to the slums."

But Jade’s spokeswoman said: "I would urge anyone who says that Jade is a racist to produce the evidence to support the claim.

"I have not heard Jade say anything that could be interpreted as a racist remark.

"I am not denying the fact that it appears Jade dislikes Shilpa, but I don’t believe her race is the reason."

Media watchdog Ofcom has received 27,000 complaints, with a further 3,000 viewers contacting Channel 4.

Directory enquiries firm 118 118 said it logged an unprecedented 1,058 calls last night from people asking who they should contact to complain about the programme.

Ofcom chief executive Ed Richards said he would be writing to Channel 4 about the show.

The programme is being monitored, he told the Oxford Media Convention, and if the organisation decides to take any action it will do so "under due process".

Mr Richards said the volume of complaints numbered 25,000 first thing this morning - "comfortably our UK record". They have since risen to 27,000.

After the argument, an upset Shilpa complained for the first time that she was the victim of racist bullying.

And she said: "I’m representing my country. Is this what today’s UK is? It’s scary. It’s quite a shame, really."

Jade and Shilpa up for eviction - Jan 17 2007
Shilpa Shetty and her tormentor Jade Goody will go head-to-head in the next Celebrity Big Brother evictions.

Jade, who has been labelled a racist, will now be favourite to get voted off the controversial show by angry viewers.

The nominations, confirmed by a source close to the show, come as the reality TV star told the Bollywood actress: "Go back to the slums".

The latest row, which look certain to further accusations of racism, blew up earlier in the day when Shilpa asked if there were any Oxo cubes left.

She sparked a furious reaction from Jade, Danielle and Jo when she said it was the only food she ordered in a shopping list.

Jade retaliated: "Don’t blatantly lie, don’t lie... don’t lie over something stupid. So what if I used an Oxo cube, shoot me."

Jo and Danielle began to laugh, and Jo added in front of Shilpa: "That’s made me feel better".

Jade tells Shilpa: "You’re not some princess here. You’re a normal housemate like everybody else. Everybody else."