Ofcom will not investigate CBB over Winston McKenzie’s anti-gay comments
Despite more than 400 complaints about homophobic comments on the programme, Ofcom will not investigate Celebrity Big Brother.
Winston McKenzie, a former UKIP candidate, entered the CBB house early this month, and was shown in his entry video making a ‘joke’ about gay people.
“I could cope with a homosexual in the house. I guess I’ll just have to stand with my back against a brick wall all the time,” he said.
Crowds booed at the 62-year-old as he entered the house and many took to social media to voice their concerns.
Despite receiving more than 400 complaints, Ofcom has said it will not investigate the programme.
Ofcom also received 33 complaints about a segment which saw Angie Bowie, the ex-wife of late music legend David Bowie, find out about the singer’s death on air.
In a statement, the watchdog said: “We are satisfied that Channel 5 broadcast clear and appropriate warnings about the potentially offensive content, and intervened in heated exchanges and situations at appropriate times.
“We have also taken into account the audience’s expectations of this well-established reality format, and that the series is aired after the watershed.”
A former UKIP PPC for Croydon North, Winston McKenzie previously claimed that same-sex adoption is child abuse said he was ‘dismayed’ to find out that Kellie Maloney is transgender.
Despite being purportedly ‘sacked’ by the party, Croydon Council confirmed last April that Mr McKenzie was once again UKIP’s PPC in the seat of Croydon North, as nominations closed.
Following stints with Labour, the Liberal Democrats, Robert Kilroy-Silk’s Veritas and the Tories, and after starting his own party and failing to become the Mayor of London as an independent, Mr McKenzie joined UKIP.
But McKenzie is now the English Democrats’ candidate for London Mayor.
McKenzie is believed to have been paid £60,000 for his appearance on the show, just 10 percent of the fee apparently afforded to David Gest.
Presenter Emma Willis commented, speaking on This Morning to say: “It’s always a tricky one for me on launch night. You see see that 60 seconds VT and last night, it’s all on show, you’ve got a lot of people to get in, so to challenge somebody on that point, do you then challenge others on theirs?
“I don’t think he’ll probably last very long, and that’s when the questions and challenges come.”
Willis did agree with Philip Schofield and Holly Willougby that the comments were “outrageous” and “blatantly homophobic”.
Partridge quit Eastenders in 2012 after playing the gay character of Christian Clarke since 2008.
