Channel 5 has issued a statement with regard to Evander Holyfield’s homophobic comments on Celebrity Big Brother
In a statement to TheGayUK from Channel 5 Reads:
‘Following Evander Holyfield’s comments about his personal views of homosexuality last night, Big Brother spoke to him in the diary room. Evander was told that his views weren’t shared by a large section of society and that expressing those views and the language he used could be seen as extremely offensive to many people. He was warned to think carefully about repeating them. Evander understood and accepted this.
The producers of Big Brother will continue to monitor this and will take further appropriate action should a similar matter arise again.’
TheGayUK also contacted OfCom, who confirmed a number of complaints had been received, however, no decision has been made to formally investigate
Evander Holyfield, 51, was given a dressing down by the producers of Big Brother after a homophobic rant, which he said that he believed that homosexuality was wrong.
During the conversation whilst in bed with Luisa Zissman, Holyfield said homosexuality was the same as, a ‘handicap’ person and it is something that could be fixed by doctors.
When Luisa asked the former champion whether there were any out boxers the conversation took a turn for the worse,
Luisa: ‘I think its good to be open because it’s normal’
Holyfield: ‘That ain’t normal’
He went on to say: ‘If you were born and your were turned this way – what would you do? You go to the doctor and get it fixed back right.
He went on to explain:
‘All I’m trying to say, you know handicap people are born, you can’t say because they are born that way you can’t fix them.’
‘You know how handicap people are born? Now you kinda said because you were born that way you can’t move that way…’
Luisa said that you couldn’t compare and that being gay wasn’t a choice.
He shot back ‘Yes it is a choice,
‘You ain’t gay unless you slept with someone from the opposite sex.’
Twitter users flooded the micro social network with complaints – calling for Holyfield to be evicted from the Big Brother House.
