Big Brother forced to intervene and row erupts over disability comments

The Big Brother House exploded into chaos on Wednesday night after what started as a seemingly innocent conversation-starter ended up leaving housemates – and viewers – in shock.

The 16 housemates’ main task during the ITVX episode was to attempt to identify the mole who had been planted in the group with the job of sewing chaos and secretly nominating three housemates for eviction while remaining undetected.

However, episode 4 of the show was overshadowed by a chat which blew up between housemate Rochelle, 57, and Charlotte, 18, who is a quadruple amputee.

In the bedroom, Rochelle was talking to Charlotte “How come you’ve never had any arms?” said Rochelle.

Student Charlotte from Oxford, calmly replied, “Because I don’t need them.”

Seemingly undeterred by Charlotte’s response, Essex housewife Rochelle soon returned to the subject of her disability.

“Can I tell you something?” she said. “Because I feel really ashamed.” She added, “I have got a bit of a fear.” When Charlotte asked, “Of what?”

Rochelle answered, “It’s something that has always freaked me out a bit. No arms. When I saw you, I was like ‘Oh my god’ and I feel so ashamed. Because now I don’t even look at it.”

She went on to explain that she felt what Charlotte had was ‘unbelievable.’

Later in the snug when Charlotte told other housemates what had happened, many were incensed with 29-year-old social worker Chelsey from Manchester saying, “I think she needs to learn to shut her mouth.”

Rhianna, 21, from Chelsea, decided to step in and speak directly with Rochelle, who said she thinks Charlotte was ‘amazing’ and apologised for her comments. After Rhianna pressed her, Rochelle expressed her desire that there be no bad feelings.

Despite overcoming this cringeworthy exchange, the house soon fell into a complete storm over the sharing of drinks. Johanne, 44, originally from LA but now living in Salford was confronted by 29-year-old Yasmin from Manchester over the number of alcoholic drinks being shared.

“Why are you coming with all this energy?” said Johanne. Yasmin denied having ‘energy’ but maintained the sharing of the drinks was ‘not fair.’ Johanne told her to ‘bring it down a little bit.’ With Yasmin trying to talk over her by calling her, ‘babe.’

Yasmin said, “If you’d have come in here and said you wanted a drink, then I would have said, ‘Yeah’ – but you came in here assuming that I would have said the drinks are only for people here.”

Yasmin then said, “Are you good?” which seemed to infuriate Johanne, with Yasmin again repeating, “Are you good? Are you alright?” which prompted a meltdown from Johanne, who insisted she has ‘a great life’ and a ‘built in bar at home’ so would never keep the drinks to herself.

As the conversation descended into a heated argument, with both sides trying to shout the other down, Big Brother was forced to intervene by calling Johanne to the diary room, with one commenting ‘she’s mad’ while she was leaving.

Johanne explained to Big Brother she would never dream of fighting over drinks and was surprised how ‘crazy’ Yasmin could get and accused her of behaving ‘like a two year-old.’

Fans have been left divided over the mole’s introduction to the show, with many objecting to the change in format, accusing producers of copying the BBC’s hugely popular Traitors, hosted by Claudia Winkleman.

Having been nominated but failing to win a lifeline by correctly identifying the mole, fellow housemates Millie, Pauline and Rochelle face the public vote. The housemate receiving the most votes is expected to be evicted on Friday.