Shilpa 'honoured' to visit British parliament
Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty swapped one famously rowdy house for another today when she arrived at the UK's House of Commons to watch British Prime Minister’s question time.
The Celebrity Big Brother winner, whose treatment by fellow contestants caused a serious race row, was greeted by frenetic scenes at the Houses of Parliament.
Accompanied by her mother, she was driven to the Commons entrance and met Labour MP Keith Vaz, who tabled a motion complaining about the Channel 4 show that was signed by nearly 90 MPs.
Mr Vaz’s nine-year-old daughter Anjali placed a traditional Indian garland around the two guests before Shilpa posed for pictures in front of a large media scrum containing reporters from the UK and India.
Shilpa said she was “honoured” to be visiting Parliament, where she will also meet Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Commons Leader Jack Straw.
It is also possible she may meet Prime Minister Tony Blair himself ahead of this weeks exchange between him and Tory leader David Cameron across the Commons.
Shilpa won 63% of the show’s final public vote after alleged racist bullying prompted a record number of complaints – more than 40,000 – to the media watchdog Ofcom.
The star, who has denied her fellow housemates were racist, has since seen her profile in this country rise exponentially with several TV appearances and high profile meetings.
Before entering the Commons today, she said: “To see how so much respect has been bestowed upon me has truly been an honour.”
She added that if she had the chance to speak to Mr Blair she would “thank him”.
“I need to thank him for the solidarity that he has shown me and my country and thank him for all the support,” she said.
The entourage was then led into the Commons building pursued by cameramen and photographers from the Indian and British press.
