A Scarf and A Statement: The Story Behind Khaled Khaled’s Controversial Moment on Big Brother
By Haydy Abdelhamid
In a surprising turn of events, Palestinian contestant Khaled Khaled was evicted from Big Brother last Friday night. As he made his way out, Khaled held up a keffiyeh handed to him by an audience member, symbolizing solidarity.
However, the scarf was no longer visible later in the episode, raising questions about its removal.
This incident follows a series of controversial moments on the show, including the recent editing of past episodes to remove references to Gaza.
One of the most talked-about moments occurred last month when fellow contestant Ali Bromley wore a T-shirt featuring a watermelon symbol shaped like Palestine. This symbol has become widely recognized in support of Palestinians during the ongoing genocide.
ITV responded by editing out the T-shirt in later broadcasts, claiming Bromley was unaware of the symbol’s significance. The broadcaster also re-uploaded the episode without the watermelon image.
ITV later issued an apology, explaining that they did not permit any personal items “deemed harmful” into the house and that the issue had been overlooked during bag checks.
This ongoing controversy highlights the tensions surrounding symbols of political solidarity and the network’s approach to managing such moments on reality TV.
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