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I’m A Celebrity’s Boy George wants to ‘draw line’ under kidnap conviction

AUSTIN, TEXAS - OCTOBER 15: Boy George of Culture Club performs onstage during weekend two, day two of Austin City Limits Music Festival at Zilker Park on October 15, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage)
Boy George (Rick Kern/WireImage)

I'm A Celebrity 2022 star Boy George has said he's 'drawn a line' under his false imprisonment conviction – and wants his victim to do the same.

In 2009, the Culture Club singer served four months out of a 15-month sentence for assaulting and handcuffing male escort Auden Carlsen during a psychotic break spurred on by drug use.

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But speaking 13 years on, the singer wants to move on from the situation, having got sober and worked to repent on his actions.

Boy George on 'I'm A Celebrity'
Boy George on 'I'm A Celebrity' (ITV)

"There was naivety but I was on a lot of drugs," he told The Sun. "I don't want to hurt the guy, I don't hate him or wish him any harm, I'm like, move on with your life because I have.

"I remember sitting in my cell thinking, 'You've done this and you've got to fix it', and I have."

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Boy George first met Carlsen in 2007, having met through a dating site where Carlsen was asked to pose for George's clothing range.

Their meeting turned into a party at the 80s icon's house in Shoreditch, where wine and cocaine resulted in George claiming Carlsen had attempted to hack into his computer.

Boy George of the band Culture Club performs in concert at The Electric Factory on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016, in Philadelphia. (Photo by Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)
Boy George (Owen Sweeney/Invision/AP)

Alongside another man, George beat Carlsen and handcuffed him to a wall fixture which he later broke free from.

George says his conviction was secured by his own evidence, and he wanted to move on after getting sober and seeking treatment for his drug addictions.

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Admitting he apologised to his mum, George added: "She said, 'Don't apologise just stay sober'.

"I know what I did and what I didn't - I've apologised and been sober since."

ASBURY PARK, NEW JERSEY - SEPTEMBER 17: Singer and songwriter Boy George performs live during Sea.Hear.Now Festival at North Beach on September 17, 2022 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images)
Boy George (Jim Bennett/Getty Images)

Following Boy George's entrance onto I'm A Celebrity in 2022, Carlsen spoke out against the star's involvement, saying it was unfair to give him a platform after what he'd done.

He told The Mirror: “I think giving him this sort of platform and a record fee sends the wrong message to survivors of violence and abuse and is plain wrong. Had I been a woman and he did what he did, he would never have been given the platform.”

Boy George eventually placed fourth on the series, with England Lioness Jill Scott winning the series.

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