Ex-Eastenders star Wendy Richards has sparked a new race row after appearing on Big Brother’s Little Brother.

Wendy was chatting with host George Lamb about the Big Brother housemates and individual Kat Kasisopa.

Her comments about the Asian housemate caused the audience to wince as she said, “She is fake, and she is very cute. What is it they say about these inscrutable Chinese? And she is Thai, but it is all Oriental isn't it? Well it is to me anyway.”

George quickly corrected her comments and said, “I don't think that is unique to Asian people, more to Kat.”

She added, “They don't betray their emotions on their face, that is what I meant."

Channel 4 responded by saying, "BBLB does go out live, George Lamb did correct her that her comment was not specific to Asian people but to Kat."

Television regulators Ofcom received a large number of complaints and have stated they will be looking into them as soon as possible.

Big Brother has come under scrutiny twice before concerning race rows, most famously when Jade Goody bullied Shilpa Shetty.