CBB’s Winston ‘can’t remember’ making ‘grotesque’ gay adoption ‘child abuse’ comments
Former UKIP politician Winston McKenzie has denied making “grotesque” comments equating same-sex adoption to child abuse.
McKenzie, the English Democrats’ candidate for London mayor was evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother house last night – following a string of homophobic comments.
The former boxer, who until last year was a regional leader and Parliamentary candidate for the UK Indepndence Party, this week entered the Channel 5 reality show.
He attracted controversy over a string of homophobic comments in the house, claiming in his entry video: “I could cope with a homosexual in the house. I guess I’ll just have to stand with my back against a brick wall all the time.”
However, fellow housemate Angie Bowie – the bisexual ex-wife of David Bowie – was fuming after finding out as part of a task that McKenzie had claimed same-sex parenting is “child abuse”.
Bowie ranted to fellow housemate David Gest: “I didn’t do 45 years of fighting for gay rights for f**king nothing. I’m not tolerating that crap. If he comes within 10 feet of me, it’s over. [I’m] an absolute prat for having trusted him, for having said nice things about him.”
Speaking after his eviction from the house, McKenzie said: “I was targeted from the start, it was a case of ‘Get Winston Out’. I honestly believe I was a threat. It brought me back to being in UKIP.”
“It was set up, that was their plan, and that was to get Winston out. They could have waited with that. They know that these issues are very emotive.
“But I had three, four days in the house, I got the exposure I needed, and I would recommend the whole thing to everybody.”
Of the “child abuse” comments from 2014, he denied ever making them, saying: “I deny any allegation that I said that. That’s a grotesque statement to make. I genuinely don’t remember saying that, unless somebody has it on tape and then they need to come forward.”
McKenzie was booed by the audience as he left the house. Hundreds of complaints were lodged over his appearance on the show.
In complaints seen by PinkNews, a number of viewers question the decision to put McKenzie in the house despite having already made homophobic comments in a pre-recorded interview. Others insist that the decision amounts to a failure to safeguard the other housemates.
McKenzie was also allowed by producers to wear the badge of the far-right English Democrats party on his way into the house.
Broadcast watchdog Ofcom says it is currently evaluating the complaints.
McKenzie is currently a member of the far-right English Democrats party. A party leader has defended McKenzie – by claiming that Muslim CBB housemates would murder gay people.
The UK Independence Party previously claimed to have “sacked” McKenzie after he insisted that same-sex adoption is child abuse – but despite this supposed “sacking” the party went on to quietly select him to run for Parliament again last year.
Senior members of UKIP insist they are now “glad to be rid” of McKenzie.
