C4 paid Trevor Phillips for race row help

Channel 4 paid Trevor Phillips, the Government’s equality chief, for giving advice about the Celebrity Big Brother 5 race row, it has emerged.

Phillips, who chairs the Equality and Human Rights Commission, was hired through the Equate Organisation, which he co-founded and which provides a "discreet, customised service" on how to handle equality issues. Channel 4 is the organisation’s only customer so far.

During the show, Phillips had been one of its strongest critics, accusing Channel 4 of not taking responsibility for what he described as the "vicious racial bigotry" on the programme.

Channel 4 chief executive Andy Duncan said after the race row that Phillips had been asked to write a report for the broadcaster on "cultural diversity in the UK", but it was not clear that he had been paid.

Some critics have suggested that there was a conflict of interest and that Phillips could damage his and the Commission’s reputation.

However, the Equality and Human Rights Commission said Phillips had followed the correct procedures and had withdrawn from any discussions about Channel 4 by the Commission. A spokesman added: "Everything has been totally above board. Trevor has gone through all the correct processes of declaring his interests, so there is no conflict.

"The work he is doing for Channel 4 is nothing to do with the Commission’s work. He has deliberately absented himself from all the Commission’s discussions about Channel 4."

It is unclear how much Phillips was paid for the work. The report is expected to be completed in July.