<p>Channel 4 have been accused of &#8220;brownfacing&#8221; in a row over a documentary showing a white woman disguised as a Muslim complete with darkened skin.</p> 
<p>Katie Freeman, 44, was given a prosthetic nose, fake teeth and darkened skin as she filmed My Week As A Muslim.</p> 
<p>The show documents Ms Freeman's experiences in <a type="internal">Manchester</a> in the week after a terror attack at the city's arena that killed 22 people.</p> 
<p>Described as an attempt to challenge stereotypes, the show aimed to give the the 44-year-old a "chance to meaningfully walk in the shoes of someone from a different background."</p> Katie Freeman starred in the documentary (Channel 4) 
<p>However, when a trailer for the show aired on Tuesday, viewers took to social media to slam the nature of Ms Freeman's disguise.</p> 
<p>One wrote: "What the f*** is this? Channel 4 has totally missed the mark here. Who on earth thought it would be a good idea to put prosthetics on somebody to make them a caricature of people of a different race (as if being white and Muslim are exclusive anyway)? On primetime TV in 2017? Madness."</p> 
<p>Another bemused commenter simply wrote: "Did they...brownface her?"</p> 
<p>On Twitter, viewer Alice Beggs said: "Just saw Channel 4 have a show called 'My Week As A Muslim' where this white woman has brownface and prosthetics so she can learn about racism etc. Because god forbid we just listen to Muslims when they tell us what abuse they get."</p> 
<p>Another criticised Channel 4 for not "actually following a Muslim poc (person of colour) and documenting their life, instead of doing this".</p> 
<p>Before Ms Freeman underwent the transformation, she admitted she would avoid sitting next to a Muslim on public transport because "you see them and think they're going to blow something up", <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4991044/Channel-4-slammed-blacking-woman-new-show.html" type="external">the Daily Mail</a> reported.</p> 
<p>She later said she was shocked by the level of abuse she suffered in the course of the programme.</p> 
<p>During one incident in which someone shouted "f****** Muslims, in this town?" as she walked past her local pub.</p> 
<p>Ms Freeman lived with Saima Alvi, a Muslim woman, during filming for the show.</p> 
<p>The 49-year-old told of the abuse she suffers regularly. She said: "It's very humiliating that I am pigeon-holed or put in the same box as a terrorist.</p> 
<p>"What I have learnt is that there are genuinely nice people who are unfortunately misled about Islam."</p> 
<p>Speaking to the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4991044/Channel-4-slammed-blacking-woman-new-show.html" type="external">Daily Mail</a>, Fiyaz Mughal, founder of community cohesion group Faith Matters, said: "This is trying to drive ratings by racial stereotyping. Channel 4 needs to apologise.</p> 
<p>"If you are trying to bridge divides, what message does it send to Muslim communities that people think of you in a certain way? That certain crude facial characteristics are what defines you as Asian?"</p> 
<p>The show's executive producer, Fozia Khan, defended the programme, told the Daily Mail: "The programme allowed Katie to meaningfully walk in the shoes of someone from a different background and to experience what it is like to be a part of the British Pakistani Muslim community rather than just observe as an outsider."</p> 
<p>My Week As A Muslim is due to be broadcast by Channel 4 on Monday at 9pm.</p>
Channel 4 documentary My Week As A Muslim sparks row over 'brownfacing'