‘Celebrity Big Brother’ housemates Karthik Nagesan and Paul Danan have cleared the air, after a row about racism over the weekend.
The two had a tense exchange when Paul got Karthik’s name wrong, incorrectly calling him ‘Qatar’, which the former ‘Apprentice’ star suggested was racist.
When Karthik suggested he was only “joking” when he mentioned racism, Paul then hit back: “No you weren’t. You brought out the racist card. Don’t ever fucking do that man. That’s serious shit in this house.”
In Monday’s (7 August) show, Paul apologises for “getting worked up”, with Karthik telling him: “Reset. I said a few things. You said a few things. Now we are, reset.”
Later, Big Brother calls Paul into the Diary Room in an attempt to explain the full situation to the former ‘Love Island’ star.
Big Brother explains: “During your [first] conversation, Karthik misheard you and thought that you had said ‘Qatar’.”
Paul then interjects, insisting what he said was ‘Kathar’, to which Big Brother says: “With that in mind, it’s understandable that Karthik may have thought you were using racist language, as it’s the name of a Middle Eastern airline and could therefore be seen as demeaning and inappropriate.”
In response, Paul says he “absolutely” understands why Karthik may have been upset, claiming: “If people say ‘Danan’ wrong, and I’m not even going to say the way people can say it, but there’s a certain thing...
“I think Sam said it once and I was like ‘don’t call me that’, because it brings up stuff from school, or whatever, where people have got it wrong, and it really grates on me, so I completely get him and I really understand.”
We’re not sure someone confusing your surname for a brand of dairy products is quite on the same level of being a victim of racism, Paul, but we’re glad the two of you have made up, anyway.
During the episode, Paul also comes to blows with former Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding, who breaks down in the Diary Room after discovering what her fellow housemates have been saying about her behind her back.
See these scenes play out in Monday’s (7 August) ‘Celebrity Big Brother’, airing at 9pm on Channel 5.