Storm over TV transsexual

Six contestants who took part in a new reality show in which they vied for

Find Me A Man pitted a group of male contestants against one another in a
bid to woo a leggy brunette called Miriam.

Only at the end of the show were they told the truth - that Miriam was a
pre-operative transsexual.

Some of the men are understood to have reached levels of "intimacy" with
Miriam and their list of claims against Sky One and production company
Brighter Pictures includes one of conspiracy to commit a sexual assault.

They have instructed lawyers to write to both companies with details of
that allegation and others, including defamation, personal injury and
breach of contract.

They were allegedly asked to sign release forms, consenting to their
appearances being screened, before Miriam's secret was revealed.

Lawyers are also attempting to prevent the programme being broadcast.

A Sky spokesman said: "We have received a letter of complaint regarding
this programme. We will examine its contents carefully before making any
response.

"The transmission date has not been confirmed and the show is not in the
Sky One schedule at present."

Find Me A Man was filmed in Ibiza over the summer and the contestants -
all aged 20-35 and described as "lively and outgoing" - were invited to
pick the most attractive woman from a line-up.

All of them chose Miriam who, unbeknown to them, was born a man.

Cameras then filmed them attempting to woo the object of their affections,
including scenes of them kissing.

A spokesman for Brighter Pictures told Broadcast magazine they had made a
point of never referring to Miriam as a woman when getting the men to take
part.

"As Miriam is a transsexual, I would never refer to her as male or female.
She is a gorgeous creature," he said.

Brighter Pictures is a subsidiary of Endemol, the company which makes Big
Brother.