Big Brother receives over 600 Ofcom complaints since Zelah Glasson was misgendered
Viewers have described the series so far as "a hard watch" with some saying, "I'm actually offended watching"
By Aaron Sugg
Big Brother has received over 600 Ofcom complaints after Caroline Monk harshly misgendered Zelah Glasson in a heart-sinking recent episode.
During the episode that aired on 7 October, Monk was issued a formal warning by Big Brother for using “offensive” and “unacceptable” language after addressing Glasson as “She’s a girl!”
She made matters worse when she added: “But you haven’t got a willy though, have you?” Realising what she had said, the 56-year-old asked: “Is that really bad?”
“I can’t remember the last time words hurt me like that” – Zelah Glasson on being misgendered by Caroline Monk in the Big Brother house
Glasson, a transgender man, despite forgiving Monk, told Big Brother in the diary room after the incident: “I can’t remember the last time words hurt me like that” leading to 398 Ofcom complaints.
The following week, another wave of complaints focused on Feyisola Akintoye’s and Cameron Barnes heated discussion over messiness in the kitchen. Cameron was eventually evicted, becoming the third contestant to leave this season.
As of yesterday (16 October) according to Ofcom’s weekly audience report, 659 viewers had contacted the body regarding the episodes on 7 and 10 October.
“I’m actually offended watching them” – a fan on Big Brother’s controversial moments
Viewers have described both scenarios as “a hard watch” and said, “I’m actually offended watching them.”
As Big Brother continues this series, tensions are high, as these are not the only two occasions that have caused controversy this year.
Former Big Brother housemate George Gilbert was booted from the programme on 7 October with immediate effect following what producers described as “unacceptable language and behaviour.”
Why was George Gilbert booted from Big Brother?
The parish councillor recently spoke out against his removal on his YouTube channel, saying he went on the show “to meet new people and people who would challenge my beliefs.”
George said his first warning came when he used Adolf Hitler as an example while discussing human nature, which was allegedly deemed by producers as justification for the Holocaust.
This was followed by controversial comments he made about race: “If I had a baby with a black woman or a brown woman, the child would have brown skin, brown eyes, brown hair… and the gingerness would die a death,” he said.
Tune in to Big Brother tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.