Arlene Phillips has been named as the reason for 59 of a total 89 complaints submitted to Ofcom following her statement about OCD on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
The broadcast report confirmed that 89 complaints were submitted on the launch night of I’m A Celeb, with the majority (59) of complaints being about Arlene Phillips’ description of herself as OCD.
Meanwhile, 13 complaints related to animal welfare.
The former Strictly Come Dancing judge is one of the many celebrities to appear on the show this series, but she’s already sparked controversy following a “degrading” comment about OCD.
(Image: ITV)
The 78-year-old had jokingly said she had OCD because she liked things clean and tidy, which resulted in many fans calling her out for “branding it as a joke”.
When she was travelling to meet her campmates upon entering the castle, Arlene said: “I cannot live with dirt. I am completely OCD about everything in my life being organised, clean, neat and tidy.”
Immediately fans raged about the comments, with one user writing: “#ImACeleb has just started and somebody has just said they are “a bit OCD” because they want things to be tidy. Can we stop this now? OCD is a debilitating condition.”
(Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
While another said that Arlene should be “taught what OCD is,” adding that it shouldn’t be “branded about as a joke”.
Another viewer stated that the comment was “degrading”.
Others were complaining that ITV should not have included the comment in the first place, with one user writing: “Ah and we start #ImACeleb with Arlene Phillips misusing OCD… Shame on @ITV for including it in the clips. OCD is not an aversion to dirt it’s so much more.”
(Image: Kieron McCarron/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Following her comments, a spokesperson from OCD Action told Metro: “OCD is a serious and often debilitating condition which can cause huge distress.
“It is important that OCD is portrayed accurately on television as we know that stereotypes can prevent people from seeking the treatment they need.”
Obsessive compulsive disorder is a mental health condition where you have recurring thoughts and repetitive behaviours that you cannot control.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
