Welsh language has been banned from the Big Brother online forums

Since Welsh-speakers Glyn Wise of Blaenau Ffestiniog and Imogen Thomas of Llanelli entered the house, many people have been "chatting" online in Welsh.

According to a spokeswoman, all the messages posted on the Big Brother site can only be moderated in English because content was so "fast-moving".

A Welsh Language Society spokesman described the move as "antagonistic".

The spokeswoman said it states in Channel 4 guidelines that English is the only language allowed in their web chats because messages needed to be moderated and they only do this in the English language.

In a perfect world we would try and invite people to comment in all languages. Channel 4 spokeswoman

"I cannot speak for every single reality TV website but it is very difficult to monitor the forums in more than one language because the content is so fast-moving," she said.

"It is standard practice on most public websites.

"In a perfect world we would try and invite people to comment in all languages."

When asked why Welsh translators had been employed for the programme and not the website, the spokeswoman replied that it would "create problems" for its content.

She denied it was a resources issue.

'Needlessly antagonistic'

"The website operators didn't have the information that some of the housemates could speak Welsh until the show began," she said.

"As the programme develops in the coming weeks things may change."

Dafydd Lewis from the Welsh Language Society said Channel 4 were being "needlessly antagonistic".

"I would imagine it would be easier to get someone in to check the messages rather than annoying bi-lingual viewers by banning Welsh on the forums."

The row comes days after programme makers were criticised for telling part-time lifeguard Glyn speaking Welsh with Imogen could be considered code.

Channel 4 subsequently said Welsh would not be banned in the house and any Welsh conversations would be subtitled for viewers.

Meanwhile, ex-Miss Wales Imogen has shared a "steamy" kiss with fellow Big Brother contestant Sezer, a London stockbroker.

She climbed into the 26-year-old's bed in the early hours of Tuesday morning and they spent a minute "in a passionate clinch" according to the Big Brother website.