Actor Christopher Biggins has been removed from Celebrity Big Brother reportedly for making comments “capable of causing great offence”.
The 67-year-old pantomime star, who was the bookmakers’ favourite to win, reportedly made comments that were considered “capable of causing great offence” and was ejected from the celebrity reality television show, the Daily Mail reported.
A statement was released by Channel 5: “Big Brother has taken the decision to remove Christopher Biggins from the Celebrity Big Brother house.”
It went on to say that Mr. Biggins “has made a number of comments capable of causing great offence to housemates and the viewing public”.
“Big Brother does not tolerate offensive language capable of causing widespread offence”.
The nature of the comments were not divulged but it was confirmed by host Emma Willis that details surrounding his exit will be revealed during Saturday’s show.
Celebrity Big Brother viewers were reportedly shocked last week when Mr. Biggins, who is openly gay, said: “The worst type though is, I’m afraid to say, the bisexuals… what it is is people not wanting to admit they are gay.”
He was then seen agreeing with fellow contestant Renee Graziano’s comment that: “You have to pick a team”.
The programme’s producers have not said whether it was these comments that had provoked the decision to remove him from the show.
Comedian Ricky Gervais weighed in on the situation tweeting: “Why put a warning on Big Brother saying some viewers may find it offensive & then evict someone for saying something that may be offensive?” He then joked with his more than ten million followers asking them to “name something that David Brent has said that would have got him chucked out of Big Brother”.
Why put a warning on Big Brother saying some viewers may find it offensive & then evict someone for saying something that may be offensive?
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) August 6, 2016
Name something that #DavidBrent has said that would have got him chucked out of Big Brother.
— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) August 6, 2016
Mr. Biggins was earlier targeted by Twitter trolls who ‘leaked’ a faked transcript of a conversation between the comedian and other housemates, where he was alleged to have made antisemitic and racist comments. Channel 5 was quick to deny the veracity of the transcript:
“We can confirm that a transcript claiming to relate to Christopher Biggins’ removal from the CBB house is 100% fake.”
The agent for Mr. Biggins told Mirror Online: “I can confirm that he would never intentionally cause offence.”
“If something was said in jest which caused offence then I am certain that was not his intention. Biggins is a much loved and wonderful man.”
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