BIG BROTHER - SHILPA RETURNS TO INDIA

Celebrity Big Brother winner Shilpa Shetty has returned to India following her extended stay in Europe.

Shetty has received plaudits for the way she handled alleged racial abuse from fellow housemates in the Celebrity Big Brother house and emerged to widespread acclaim two weeks ago today.

Despite the torrid time she had in the house she has stayed in Britain for two weeks but revealed that homesickness was the reason for her sudden departure yesterday.

"I feel great, I was missing India and it was just an impromptu decision last night that I wanted to come back, because I was missing my dad and my sister," she told the ITN news agency.

On returning to her family home in Mumbei Shetty visited the Siddhivinayak temple to pray, causing a local stir similar to the one she made on attending prime minister's questions in the House of Commons last week.