Big Brother fans were left raging on Sunday evening over comments allegedly made by Paul Blackburn on the ITV show’s 24hr live stream.
The security officer, 23, has been accused by viewers of making a transphobic slur about ejected housemate Hallie Clarke, 18, during a new Halloween challenge.
The house has been adorned with Halloween decorations, including skeletons around the living areas and garden – one of whom was mocked up with oranges fashioned as breasts and an appendage seemingly added to resemble a penis.
A number of Twitter users claimed Paul was heard calling the skeleton Hallie – in the wake of the trans teen, who left the show on Friday, informing the house that she was planning to undergo Feminising Genital Surgery.
After viewers regaled the story on the microblogging site, fans soon swarmed with messages insisting he should be dismissed immediately if he had made the ‘transphobic’ comments, while others called upon Ofcom to act.
Eek: Big Brother fans were left raging on Sunday evening over comments allegedly made by Paul Blackburn on the ITV show’s 24hr live stream
Hmm… The security officer, 23, has been accused by viewers of making a transphobic slur about ejected housemate Hallie Clarke, 18, during a new Halloween challenge
Hmm… The house has been adorned with Halloween decorations, including skeletons around the living areas and garden – one of whom was mocked up with oranges fashioned as breasts and an appendage seemingly added to resemble a penis
Hmm: A number of Twitter users claimed Paul was heard calling the skeleton Hallie – in the wake of the trans teen, who left the show on Friday, informing the house that she was planning to undergo Feminising Genital Surgery
Not good: After viewers regaled the story on the microblogging site, fans soon swarmed with messages insisting he should be dismissed immediately if he had made the ‘transphobic’ comments, while others called upon Ofcom to act
A fan account for the show wrote on Sunday evening: ‘Completely flew again tonight. Well that was an interesting live stream…
‘Paul showcasing how transphobic he really is with the skeleton in the garden. I’m so mad about that, still hoping that I heard that wrong but if that is true then big brother should intervene #bbukD!’
Attempting to clarify the story, a viewer asked: ‘Could you enlighten me please i saw them positioning the skeleton in the house but didn’t hear what they said?’
To which the user replied: ‘They named this skeleton Hallie and then did this to it. There’s something in between it’s legs. It doesn’t look good…
‘Paul told Olivia that when Yinrun sees it she won’t like it. And they had a joke about it basically. I’m going to try and find the stream later and watch again.’
Another Twitter account shared the claims, writing: ‘On last nights Live Feed, Paul put something between a skeletons legs and said “that one’s called Hallie”. He then told Olivia that when Yinrun sees it “she’s not gonna like it”’.
Fellow viewers soon voiced their outrage over the moment, writing: ‘Paul needs to be held accountable for this, Big Brother better speak up. #BBUK… This should lead to immediate removal. No excuses @itv do you condone transphobia or not?…
Eeek: ‘Paul showcasing how transphobic he really is with the skeleton in the garden. I’m so mad about that, still hoping that I heard that wrong but if that is true then big brother should intervene #bbukD!’
‘Get this gross transphobic chaser out of there I stg I’m so sick of him… Bang out of order, if that is what they said!… can we write to ofcom?… Surely people have been removed for less than this before…
‘Oh my god!! I’ve been defending Paul but this is UNACCEPTABLE!! My support of him ends right now!! Are you going to do something about this? #BBUK…
‘I said exactly this. Housemates have been removed for less. They HAVE to do something… I liked Paul, as a housemate, but if this is true its disgusting and even more so when its done at the expense of an 18 y/o….
‘Woah yeah 100%! Needs to be thrown straight out for that surely??!!’
MailOnline has contacted ITV for comment.
During her stint in the house, Hallie revealed she would spend part of the £100k prize money on ‘a new vagina’. On her second day she came out as transgender to co-stars, admitting she felt she wasn’t being ‘authentic’ not telling them.
She went on to tell pals Kerry and Jenkin that if she won the ITV show, she would spend £30k of the money on Feminising Genital Surgery.
Hallie said: ‘If I win I’m going to get a vagina. Designer vagina. And I’m going to pay my mum back for all the years she paid for my treatment.
An emotional Kerry asked how much it would cost, to which Hallie replied: ‘Like 30 grand. The mind doesn’t match the body. That’s the best way to describe being trans. I have a female mind, but the body doesn’t match.’
Hallie also explained that due to not being in the correct body yet, it has stopped her from being sexually active.
Farewell: Hallie was the third person to be evicted from the house on Friday October 27