A contestant on the reality television programme Big Brother has faced criticism after confessing to feeling uneasy around people with physical disabilities, following the arrival of a young woman who lost all four limbs through illness.
Rochelle Rackham, 57, a housewife, made the comments to Charlotte Nott, 18, who had her arms and legs amputated after contracting meningitis at the age of three.
Charlotte, who comes from Cowley in Oxfordshire, entered the household as a new housemate.
During a conversation, Rochelle admitted she had felt embarrassed about her initial response to Charlotte.
She explained that upon seeing Charlotte enter, she had experienced a visceral reaction but had since overcome that feeling.
The exchange rapidly attracted attention on social media platforms, where viewers described Rochelle’s comments as deeply offensive.
Charlotte was observed speaking with other housemates, including Lynx Noumey, 24, and another contestant named Chelsey, sharing her surprise at Rochelle’s admission.
Online reaction proved divided.
While many users expressed strong disapproval, some supporters of Rochelle suggested her remarks had been poorly phrased rather than maliciously intended.
Fellow housemate Rhianna attempted to mediate the situation by directly addressing Rochelle about the controversy.
Prior to her appearance on the programme, Charlotte had discussed her expectations.
She described the circumstances as unusual and acknowledged that life inside the house would differ significantly from her everyday routine.
Charlotte explained that she could not fully anticipate what the experience would entail until she was inside, though she expressed enthusiasm about stepping beyond her usual comfort zone.
She noted the absence of a telephone and lack of contact with the outside world as factors she was looking forward to experiencing.
Charlotte described the entire casting process as surreal, explaining that she had submitted her application during the final week of auditions and received an invitation to attend an interview in London shortly afterward.
Regarding her approach to the competition, Charlotte stated her intention to remain authentic, expressing that whether viewers appreciated her or not would be entirely their prerogative.
When questioned about potential uses for any prize money, Charlotte indicated she would likely deposit the funds into savings, adding that her prosthetic limbs cost approximately £25,000 each, though she also mentioned the possibility of a holiday.