Big Brother hit with 493 complaints of racism after Johanne and Rochelle row
Pauline and Johanne on Big Brother 2026 (ITV)
Ofcom has recorded 493 complaints about Big Brother after the 27 September episode aired a heated clash between housemates Johanne Cade and Rochelle Rackham, with viewers raising allegations of racism and bullying.
The regulator also logged 91 complaints about the episode broadcast on 21 September.
The most-complained-about episode showed a conversation about microaggressions between Johanne and Pauline Adeyemo, which Rochelle overheard.
Johanne said: “My situation with Rochelle felt like a microaggression because I feel like if anybody else was over there heating up their food, say Rhianna [Collins], would [Rochelle] have reacted like that?”
She added: “And that’s how you can really decipher a microaggression a lot of times – is just put anybody there that looks like that person, would their behaviour still be the same?”
After hearing her name mentioned, Rochelle spoke to other housemates and asked: “Would you say, since we’ve been in here, that Rhianna and I have been racist in any way, shape or form?”
The disagreement later escalated into a kitchen confrontation. Johanne insisted: “Nobody said anything about Rhianna.” She also called Rochelle “stupid, dumb and a troublemaker”.
As the row intensified, Big Brother intervened and called Johanne to the Diary Room, saying over the speakers: “This is Big Brother, would Johanne come to the Diary Room?”
What were viewers complaining to Ofcom about?
The complaints about the 27 September episode were reported as largely focusing on alleged racism and bullying towards Rochelle, with Johanne’s comments among those referenced by viewers.
The 91 complaints about the 21 September episode were linked in reports to alleged racial remarks and comments about nationality between Johanne and Omar El Mayer, reports The Mirror.
The series has also faced disruption away from the main show. Tennis balls were thrown over the wall for the housemates to read during 30 September’s episode, with messages that referenced Rochelle, Johanne and Pauline’s row, as well as Philip Regan.
The results of this week’s nominations were also revealed, with Rochelle and Johanne set to go head-to-head during Friday night’s eviction.
PinkNews has contacted ITV for comment.
Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
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