SIR - Anyone who had doubts as to how shallow, moronic and media-driven our modern society has become has only to look at the fiasco referred to as the "Big Brother controversy".

How crushingly depressing it was to learn that a programme as sad, unimaginative and inane as Big Brother actually attracted 20,000 viewer complaints, and still more surprising that such viewers were capable of putting together any form of complaint.

But there we have it, 20,000 offended viewers absolutely "appalled" by the "racist" treatment meted out to Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty. Isn't that just tragic?

Didn't Shilpa realise the average "Big Brother" contestant could not even spell the word racist let alone understand its definition or wider implications.

What was she thinking of by demeaning herself with an appearance on the programme in the first place?

But that is still no excuse for the media here to catapult the insignificant ramblings of do-nothing nobodies on a pathetic good-for-nothing show into headline news.

British soldiers are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Chancellor is reduced to answering questions about contestants on a tuppence ha'penny game show!

Bring back Alf Garnett and Till Death Us Do Part - it was three times as racist and a hundred times more entertaining and funny!

A J Clarke, Halifax Road, Bradford