The soap star, a ‘playful’ punch on CBB and a domestic violence row
CELEBRITY Big Brother contestant Ryan Thomas has received an official warning from the programme makers for allegedly punching housemate Roxanne Pallett during a ‘play fight’.
The former Coronation Street actor was accused of ‘beating up’ the actress on Thursday night’s show, but many viewers have accused her of overreacting.
Thomas, 34, insisted there was ‘no malice or anger in anything I did’ when he was questioned in the Diary Room of the house. But he was reprimanded for hurting Ms Pallett, 35, and warned he would be removed from the show if it happened again.
The altercation prompted 11,215 complaints to Ofcom, with the UK broadcasting watchdog saying the majority were criticising Ms Pallett.
Some viewers said she had ‘set back’ the work of domestic abuse charities for her reaction to the incident, and among them was the veteran lawyer Nazir Afzal, who campaigns on issues around violence against women. He tweeted: ‘I don’t engage with Celebrity Big Brother but I can’t let what just happened pass. What Roxanne did in alleging domestic violence (which we saw for ourselves) and persuading producers to warn Ryan set back immense work done by [domestic violence] charities in raising awareness. She clearly has issues and needs help.’
On Thursday, Thomas was seen approaching Ms Pallett in the kitchen before appearing to use his fist to touch her body. She said: ‘Ouch that hurt. I was going to wash your clothes but I might shrink them now.’
The actress then went to the bedroom, where she was heard saying: ‘Just been beaten up by Corrie’s Jason Grimshaw [Thomas’s onscreen character]. ‘Big Brother, that hurt.’ The star then entered the Diary Room, where she became tearful. She said: ‘I went from being upset to being angry, because a boy has punched me repeatedly unprovoked, he actually punched me like a boxer would punch a bag.
‘And we weren’t play fighting, there was no banter, it wasn’t a joke.’
A spokesman for Ms Pallett said: ‘Roxanne has worked closely with various domestic violence charities due to being a victim of domestic violence herself. She would be very upset to find out she may have caused offence to others who have been through the same.’
UK broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said it was assessing the complaints.