Women's Aid criticises Big Brother over housemate's conduct

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 21 Oct, 09:32 · Archive

Women's Aid has criticised ITV's Big Brother after scenes showing housemate Omar's behaviour during an argument with fellow contestant Rhianna.

Women's Aid has criticised ITV's Big Brother following scenes broadcast on Monday night. During an episode, housemate Omar, 21, swore and shouted at co-star Rhianna, 21, during an increasingly heated argument about their relationship. Rhianna had suggested they might be better suited as friends, saying she felt Omar was behaving differently towards her. In a separate argument later that evening, Omar told Rhianna to 'don't talk about me', 'don't cry' and 'don't look away from me'. Producers intervened, calling Rhianna to the Diary Room to check on her wellbeing. She said: 'Sometimes I just don't like the way he speaks to me. I love him so much, and it's just so difficult.' The argument ended with Rhianna and Omar breaking up.

Women's Aid told Metro that viewers had contacted the charity following the episode. Veronica Oakeshott, the charity's head of external affairs, said: 'It's worrying to see behaviours like this being given a platform in popular media like Big Brother. Not only does Big Brother risk minimising survivors' experiences, it also risks presenting abuse as a form of entertainment. Producers should understand their responsibility to keep contestants emotionally and physically safe.' The charity warned that coercive and controlling behaviours often precede escalation into other forms of abuse. ITV has issued a statement on the controversy.

How it is being reported

• ITV Issues Statement On Big Brother Controversy As Women's Aid Slams Housemate's ConductITV has spoken out on the latest controversy to surround the current season of Big Brother . Earlier this week, Big Brother aired scenes which did not sit well with many viewers between housemates Omar El Mayer and Rhianna Collins, who have struck up a romance on the show. Monday night’s episode saw Omar and Rhianna becoming embroiled in an increasingly heated row, which arose when she claimed they might be better suited as friends than romantic partners. Prior to that, she tried to explain to him that she’d felt he was behaving differently towards her and that she’d been “mentally going…HuffPost UK · 21 Oct, 09:11
• Women’s Aid says Big Brother ‘risks presenting abuse as a form of entertainment’Omar has come under fire for his behaviour during an argument with co-star Rhianna (Picture: Shutterstock for Big Brother) Women’s Aid has weighed in on Big Brother after uproar over Omar’s ‘toxic’ behaviour during an argument with Rhianna. The charity criticised the ITV hit reality series after…Metro · 20 Oct, 17:40

In this story: Omar El Mayer · Rhianna Collins · Women's Aid · ITV · Big Brother

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