GECs
Shilpa Shetty trots away with ‘Big Brother’ win
MUMBAI: Bollywood contestant Shilpa Shetty emerged as the winner of Channel 4’s reality show Big Brother on Sunday. Following a heated controversy sparked by alleged racial comments hurled at Shetty by inmates of the Big Brother house, earned her a lions share of the public vote of 67 per cent.
In the last leg of the show Shetty beat MJ’s big brother Jermaine Jackson and was reportedly paid in excess of 40,000 pounds for her participation. Touted as the ‘hot favourite’ by bookies, the win seemed to have been an expected outcome for the Bollywood star.
The racial slurs did not only have repercussions for the professional careers of those in question, namely Jade Goody, but also cost the show the withdrawal of one its biggest sponsors Carphone Warehouse, which said it did notwant bto e associated with claims of racist bullying.
Both the broadcaster Channel 4 and television regulator Ofcom were said to have received more than 21,000 complaints in support of Shetty. The matter was further taken to the House of Commons by British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in response to NRI MP Keith Vaz statements.
As opposed to this, the Indian adaptation of Endemol’s reality format Bigg Boss crowned Rahul Roy as victor awarding him Rs 5,000,000. However, Shilpa’s teary eyed incidents seemed to have over-shadowed the ‘drama’ in the celebrity enclosure back home.
GECs
Samsung TV Plus launches Kings of Comedy channel
New free FAST channel brings iconic Hindi comedy shows to millions of Samsung Smart TV owners.
MUMBAI: Samsung TV Plus has just turned up the laughter volume and it’s completely free. The leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service in India has launched Kings of Comedy, a premium comedy channel featuring some of the country’s most beloved primetime shows. Available exclusively on Samsung TV Plus, the channel delivers back-to-back hits including Comedy Nights with Kapil, Khatra Khatra Khatra, and Comedy Nights Bachao, with no login or subscription required.
The launch marks a milestone for free streaming in India, offering audiences a dedicated comedy destination directly from their Samsung TV home screen. It arrives as Samsung TV Plus India celebrates its 5th anniversary, during which the service has grown its monthly active users by 42 per cent and more than doubled its total viewing hours. The platform now offers over 180 free channels across 14 languages.
Samsung TV Plus India general manager and head of business development Kunal Mehta said, “Comedy is the heartbeat of Hindi entertainment, and Kings of Comedy brings together the shows Indians already love, completely free on their Samsung TV. Our focus remains the same take the content people know and make it effortless to access.”
Globally, Samsung TV Plus has surpassed 100 million monthly active users across more than 4,500 channels, solidifying its position as one of the world’s leading free streaming services.
Kings of Comedy is now available on all compatible Samsung Smart TVs. For viewers seeking non-stop laughter without any cost, this new channel delivers a royal treat proving that sometimes the best entertainment really does come with no strings (or subscriptions) attached.
