Actress Ning Jing obscured by a cactus Inset: Ning in controversial outfit Photos: video footage snapshot

A Chinese actress's image was completely obscured from a reality show, and some Net users speculate it's because she was dressed in a controversial all-black Muslim veil or hijab during the filming of the show.

Scenes with Chinese actress Ning Jing, in the Chinese reality show Divas Hit the Road, were edited so her image was entirely covered with humorous icons.

The second season of the show, featuring several celebrities' overseas travels on a limited budget, has been aired on Hunan TV since April.

During the last episode broadcast on Saturday night, Ning caught the attention of the audience because she was the only celebrity whose image was entirely obscured by digital overlays. For shots that only showed her upper body, Ning's head was covered with images such as a pink helmet, or the hair of a character in the animated series Dragon Ball Z.

In other shots, Ning's entire body was covered with an image of a funny cactus.

The production team of the show and Hunan TV, which was responsible for the broadcast, did not provide an explanation.

A publicity director of Ning's entertainment company, surnamed Qing, told the Global Times Sunday that they have not received an explanation from the production team yet, but will discuss it with them on Monday.

Some Net users have speculated that Ning, who is not Muslim, mistakenly wore a dress in the show that resembled a hijab, which is often associated with religious extremism in China. Top media watchdogs may have decided to remove the shots in order to avoid trouble, Net users speculated.

In Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, women were banned from wearing full-face veils in public places starting from January, a move seen as an effort to prevent the spread of extremist ideas.
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