Yahoo News I'm A Celebrity: Fred Sirieix's comments to Sam Thompson spark Ofcom complaints
The First Dates star made a comment to Thompson that some viewers took issue with
I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! has been slapped with complaints after Fred Sirieix told Sam Thompson to play with his toys while others did the “men’s stuff”.
The ITV reality show ended at the weekend, with Made In Chelsea star Thompson being crowned King of the Jungle after beating boxer Tony Bellew, who came second, and former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who was third.
Ofcom has now confirmed it received 59 complaints about one of the final instalments, which aired on 5 December. A spokesperson for the broadcasting watchdog told Yahoo that 27 of those related to comments Sirieix made to Thompson.
What happened between Sirieix and Thompson?
During the episode, the campers were talking about who should take part in the Fly On The Wall Bushtucker trial, with the contestants asked to volunteer if they thought they could take it on in a bid to try and win stars, that would translate into meals, for camp.
Several campers made it clear they would happily give it a go, including JLS singer Marvin Humes and Bellew. Thompson also threw his hat into the ring, telling the others: “I’m happy to do it and want to bring some stars back for the team.”
Farage then suggested the camp put forward its most athletic members. “Sorry Sam, you can carry on playing with your toys, we're gonna do the men’s stuff,” Sirieix said.
Many viewers were unimpressed at the time, posting messages online saying it was “disgusting” and “disrespectful” of the TV star.
It wasn’t the first raft of complaints for the reality show, which ran from 19 November to 10 December. We have at some of the other complained about moments.
Nella Rose rows with Fred Sirieix
Ofcom received a whopping 861 complaints over Sirieix’s heated row with YouTube star Nella Rose. The pair fell out after First Dates star Sirieix commented on the fact he was old enough to be Rose’s dad, which the online star took issue with.
Rose has lost her mum and dad and during the clash she told the TV star: “Don’t bring up my dead parents, are you stupid?”
She also said she didn’t want to be friends with Sirieix and that they could stay on their own sides of the camp, and suggested she wasn’t interested in eating the food he prepared.
Nella Rose’s immigration chat with Nigel Farage
Rose was also at the centre of another moment that sparked a lot of complaints, her chat about immigration with Farage. The broadcasting watchdog received 856 complaints about the conversation, in which Rose branded Farage “anti-immigrant”.
The pair got into a deep chat by the bathtub, with the influencer grilling Farage over "why don't Black people like you?" He insisted Rose “would be amazed they do” and invited her to accompany him to south London to see the reaction.
"You are a cool guy but it is very hard to forget what you’ve seen on the outside,” Rose said. She accused Farage of being anti-immigrants but he said accusations were being chucked around unfairly.
“Anti-immigrant, right?” he said. “No, no, all I've said is we cannot go on with the numbers coming to Britain that are coming.”
In the end they wrapped up their discussion, with Farage suggesting Rose wasn’t listening to him.
Lorraine Kelly takes aim at Nigel Farage
Talk show host Lorraine Kelly triggered a flurry of complaints when she was accused of “body-shaming” Farage.
She took a swipe at the camper on her ITV talk show as she said “you get the face you deserve” while she was talking about him. Kelly was talking about Farage with former MP Edwina Currie, who was suggesting that Farage was hoping the show would “enhance his reputation”.
“He's only 59, he's got plenty of years ahead of him,” Currie said.
Looking stunned, Kelly exclaimed: “God is he? Is he only 59?” "I thought he was a hell of a lot older than that,” she said. “That is astonishing. You get the face you deserve, thankfully. You really do.”
Ofcom later confirmed it received 354 complaints over the comments.
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