Former ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ housemate Rodrigo Alves has offered his “sincerest and most heartfelt apologies” for his use of the n-word during this year’s series.
Rodrigo - dubbed the “Human Ken doll” in the media - was issued with a “formal and final warning” on his first night in the house when he used the racial slur twice during a conversation with his fellow housemates.
Having now been shown the door after an undisclosed “further incident”, Rodrigo has now apologised for the matter, admitting that due to his heritage and the fact he isn’t a native English speaker, he was unaware of the term’s offensive history.
“In Brazil, I was brought up in a multicultural, multiracial society,” he told the Daily Mail. “I am very proud of my Latino and black heritage. English is not my first language.
“Through my Brazilian upbringing, my black family members and street/hip-hop music in Brazil I was not naturally conditioned against the word. I was naive not to realise how offensive what I said is in English-speaking countries, and what that word represents in terms of the horrific and sustained human rights abuses against black people over many generations. For this, I offer my sincerest and heartfelt apologies for any offence I may have caused.”
He added: “Racism is a state of mind often manifesting itself in abusive language. In my case, my use of a particular word has been used to portray me as having a mindset that I don’t have and never have had.”
While still in the house, Rodrigo previously said, by way of explanation: “Last night I was very excited to be here, and I had quite a lot to drink, and I was intoxicated. I was drunk. In fact I was very drunk, and today I’m very hungover, I’ve been drinking a lot of water.
“I obviously regret that, the fact that I used the n-word. That was not necessary at all. It was just excitement, I’d had quite a lot to drink.”
Following Rodrigo’s use of the slur, and Channel 5’s decision not to remove him, viewers complained to Ofcom in their droves, with 1000 complaints made in just a few days.
Viewers were later displeased when ‘CBB’ bosses offered no explanation was regarding the “further incident” that led to Rodrigo being removed, while the man himself has insisted he chose to leave of his own accord.