A high-profile visit to India by Gordon Brown, the UK chancellor, on Wednesday was in danger of being overshadowed by a controversy over alleged racist bullying of an Indian actress on a British reality television show.

The treatment of Shilpa Shetty, a Bollywood star, on Celebrity Big Brother prompted protesters in India to burn effigies of the programme makers. The issue was raised by Kamal Nath, India’s trade minister, in a meeting with the chancellor.