India Willoughby claims she was banned from girls’ bedroom on Celebrity Big Brother
India Willoughby (Getty)
Former Celebrity Big Brother contestant India Willoughby has claimed that she was ‘played’ during her time on the show.
The transgender newsreader blames Rachel Johnson for volatile behaviour on the show – saying the journalist “constantly misgendered” her.
Appearing on Channel Five’s The Wright Stuff for her first interview since being voted out, India claimed Rachel and Ann Widdecombe made her feel like “the runt of the litter” by referring to her as ‘he’ and ‘him’.
India Willoughby (The Wright Stuff)
In scenes she says weren’t aired on CBB, India claims the worst part of her stint was when housemates refused to let her sleep in the girls’ bedroom on the first night.
“Within an hour of going in the house, I was being misgendered left, right and centre. I started off politely pointing out why that was inappropriate,” she revealed.
“I ended up in the girls’ bedroom, Ann quite happily went off to the other bedroom then decided she wanted to come into this bedroom.
India Willoughby (Getty)
“The girls all had a conference and decided if anyone was going to move it should be me. I didn’t feel like I should be going in the boys’ bedroom.”
Criticising fellow housemates Rachel and Ann, India continued: “There was an undercurrent from the start, because of what they were doing – the misgendering – it marked me out as runt of the litter.
“If you’re continually being questioned about whether you’re he or him, you are going to reaffirm your gender.”
In scenes that shocked some viewers, India flashed her breasts to prove to Rachel they are real.
(Photo: Channel 5)
“Rachel was saying, ‘show me your bazookas’ – she’s on camera doing that – she was egging me on, ‘are they real, can I have a look, can I have a touch?’, and having told her repeatedly I’m a she, I got tired of verbally doing it, I just thought I’d let my body speak for itself,” she added.
Taking to Twitter on Saturday evening, the trans broadcaster said that after watching the episodes, part of the story of her time in the house was missing.
In the tweet, India alleged that she had been manipulated and plans to discuss the show and ‘name names’ on Monday.
(Photo: @IndiaWilloughby / Twitter)
This tweet contradicted her original stance after becoming the first celebrity evicted from the Big Brother house.
Reflecting on her performance in her first interview after her eviction last Friday, India said that she caused issues for herself during her time in the house.
(Photo: Channel 5)
She said: “I was fatally wounded in terms of the game of Big Brother. I don’t really feel I did myself justice. Did I give my best show? No.
“I should have come in and kept my gob shut, but it’s pointless, I got it wrong and I know that.”
However, with this new tweet and the claims of a ‘master manipulator,’ many viewers of the show are now speculating about who India will name and shame on Monday.
(Photo: Channel 5)
Viewers also had mixed reactions to India’s claim that she was ‘played’ during her time in the house.
One CBB viewer wrote: “You admitted you played it wrong. If you’re after raising your profile have a bit of grace.”
However, other viewers were more supportive of the broadcaster, with another viewer tweeting: “I can’t wait India.”
(Photo: Channel 5)
India caused significant controversy during her time in the CBB house, including saying that genderfluid people ‘cheapen’ transgender struggle and comparing drag to blackface.
During her first interviews, the self-titled Big Brother ‘superfan’ said that her tactics for the show had failed her early on.
“I think I peeved them off on the night they came in with the question about gender and love. My tactics were all over the place,” she said.
“I was psyched up to mix it a little bit. Cause confrontations. I wanted to have fun and cause a bit of mischief. It just didn’t go down very well.”
India became known to TV viewers as a presenter of Loose Women, where she shot to fame with her opinionated commentary on the show.
