Big Brother star Omar receives stern warning over his language as ‘coercive and controlling’ behaviour row becomes one of the most complained about reality TV moments EVER

DAILYMAIL.COM • 1h ago

By AMELIA WYNNE, SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER 23:44 21 Oct 2026, updated 23:48 21 Oct 2026

Big Brother star Omar received a stern warning over his language during Wednesday night’s dramatic episode over his treatment of Rhianna.

The ITV show has received more than 7,000 Ofcom complaints after he was accused of being ‘coercive and controlling’ towards his fellow housemate.

The contestant has denied any wrongdoing but viewers have called for him to be removed from the house after he was made safe from this week’s eviction.

Omar and Rhianna have known each other for six weeks after meeting in the house and quickly claimed to be in love.

However, Omar’s behaviour towards his girlfriend has caused an outcry from the public and it has already become one of the most complained-about reality TV moments ever.

There are mounting calls for ITV to intervene and boot him off the show and charity Women’s Aid has issued a statement calling his behaviour ‘worrying’.

On Wednesday’s episode Omar was seen being called to the Diary Room, where he was told: ‘Big Brother wants to bring to your attention that at times, it appears that you are dismissing your fellow housemates’ feelings and experiences, and not acknowledging the impact such behaviour could have on your fellow housemates and the viewing public.

‘Some of your language used on more than one occasion and the behaviour you have exhibited could cause offense to your fellow housemates or the viewing public.’

Omar responded: ‘I fully understand. Just, I’ve never dismissed a housemate’s feelings, in all honesty. If I felt like a housemate was feeling something towards me which was incorrect, I would say it was incorrect.

‘Not necessarily dismiss it, or tell them they don’t deserve a feeling and they don’t deserve to feel like that.’

He added: ‘Let’s be honest here. We’re not talking about housemates, we’re talking about my conversations with me and Rhianna.’

‘I did not walk in with any bad intentions or any malice and I didn’t attempt to exercise anything malicious towards anyone. Like I said, I’ve acknowledged my housemate’s feelings.’

Big Brother then replied: ‘Omar, you must always be mindful of the impact your language and behaviour can have on others.’

Omar later chatted to Rhianna and said to her: ‘So this is gonna be a very, very, very difficult conversation but I’m gonna unpack a lot of things. I just wanna pose you with the question: have I ever controlled you in any way? Or limited you in any way?’

Rhianna responded: ‘The word controlled is crazy. You haven’t and I don’t feel that way. I am my own person, no one can control me, just like no one can control you.’

At the end of the conversation Omar then said: ‘Sorry if for whatever reason I have made you feel upset,’ as she responded: ‘I don’t like arguing, I don’t like bickering. I don’t like these conversations, I don’t want them to be had… So I will come and tell you if I don’t like what you’re doing.’

After the episode aired some viewers were disappointed with the warning and said that Big Brother didn’t go far enough.

They penned on X: ‘It was too vague, they should have given specific examples so his mind couldn’t just shut down the conversation by saying he hadn’t done it.’,

‘They needed to give explicit examples of what he’s said & ask him to explain.’,

‘Should have been AUTOMATICALLY put up for eviction this Week!’

In just one day, Big Brother received 7,138 Ofcom complaints relating to Omar’s treatment of Rhianna, making it one of the top ten most complained-about moments.

It is also the third highest number of complaints for a single incident in Big Brother history, following Jade Goody’s racism row and Roxanne Pallett’s punch-gate.

During Tuesday night’s episode, it was revealed that Catrin, Harry, Sam and Twinks were the final four housemates on the podium and will face this Friday’s live eviction.

The episode saw him snapping at Rhianna in front of the rest of the house ahead of nominations, telling them ‘she’s f***ed me off today!’

He said: ‘I haven’t made her cry, so don’t walk around saying I’ve made you cry, then I have housemates come up to me saying I’m horrible.

‘She’s miserable anyway, she’s immature. Stop being a weirdo, I did not make you cry!’

To which Omar replied: ‘Was I abusive? Did I scream at you? Did I hit you? So don’t lie!

‘Even when you’re wrong you convince yourself you’re right! Zero accountability – maximum immaturity!’

The public slammed the housemates for not voting for Omar, as they took to X to share their thoughts.

They fumed: ‘Omar with the AUDACITY to call Rhianna immature when he acts like that and sulks all day like a petulant childdddd.’

‘I have NEVER been so p*ssed off with nominations Put me off Yas. Don’t want her to win anymore and Rhianna is a SNAKE Oh and get Omar, Phillip and Frankie out VILE.. and yes there is a hierarchy.’

‘Another eviction to not put omar up ugh bb needs to tell rhianna and omar that sooner or later they are both going have to vote for each other.’

Omar’s behaviour has even been branded ‘coercive and abusive’ by Women’s Aid.

Veronica Oakeshott, Head of External Affairs said: ‘The nature of abuse means that it often begins with ‘red flag’ coercive and controlling behaviours like isolating you from friends or repeatedly putting you down, before escalating into other forms of abuse.

‘Coercive control creates invisible chains and a sense of fear that impacts every element of a survivor’s life.

‘It’s worrying to see behaviours like this being given a platform in popular media like Big Brother. We’ve been contacted by many viewers who have expressed concern.

‘Not only does Big Brother risk minimising survivors’ experiences, it also risks presenting abuse as a form of entertainment.

‘We must do better to call out and reject abuse as soon as we see it, so women and children can learn the signs and themselves feel confident in speaking up and seeking safety.

‘Producers should understand their responsibility to keep contestants emotionally and physically safe.

‘The women in these programmes are real people and need real support.

‘We continue to urge television companies such as ITV to engage with experts like Women’s Aid to understand the nature of abuse and how they can do better to protect contestants. We would welcome a discussion with the Big Brother team.’

A Big Brother spokesman said: ‘All Housemates receive Respect and Inclusion training and an extensive briefing from the Big Brother Senior team to prepare them for living in the House and to set out Big Brother’s expectations for appropriate behaviour and language.

‘Housemates are monitored 24 hours a day and any instances of inappropriate behaviour are responded to appropriately.

‘Welfare and safeguarding are prioritised throughout the production, with a dedicated welfare team available to support Housemates before, during and after their time in the House.’

Viewers have seen Rhianna and Omar’s relationship play out throughout this series, but in the past couple of days, she began to question his behaviour towards her.

She decided to end their relationship, leading Omar to say: ‘You’ve really f***ed me off by saying what you said.’

When she replied: ‘I don’t want to do this tonight,’ Omar hit back: ‘You don’t want to do it tonight but I can’t sleep on it. I am not a loser!’

Later, Rhianna confided in Yasmin about how confused she was by her treatment.

‘I don’t know what’s wrong with Omar, but it’s literally making me feel like I’ve constantly been doing something wrong.

‘If he’s just in a mood or something, fine. But like it’s just making me feel like I’m going crazy,’ she said.

Omar then approached Rhianna, and whispered: ‘Do me a favour, I know you’re upset but don’t talk about me.’

Later, the pair had another exchange in the storeroom which left Rhianna in tears, with Omar telling her to ‘not cry’, and adding: ‘Look at me, don’t look away from me.’

As things got heated between them, Big Brother called for Rhianna to go to the Diary Room to check on her wellbeing.

Fans on X have echoed calls for Omar to be removed from the show, writing: ‘Just been catching up on last night’s Big Brother and it’s been such an uncomfortable watch. My heart breaks for Rhi. Omar needs removing he is revolting.

‘Also Twinks and Cat need to remember Rhi is very vulnerable in this situation and needs to give her grace, not mock her.’

‘I can understand ppl dont want abuse as a word to be thrown around, but it was very inappropriate and disrespectful for Omar to lean into Rhianna’s ear, demand her not to talk about him in a whisper.

‘That specific behaviour is very common among abusers if he’s not careful.’

‘Omar needs a warning for his emotionally abusive behaviour. That is NOT okay.’

‘If Big Brother doesn’t remove Omar from the house, I’m not watching anymore his behaviour is disgusting; imagine what ITV has not shown if this is what is put on TV.’

‘For all the young people seeing Omar’s behaviour and thinking it’s okay… you should know that this is a brilliant display of narcissistic and abusive behaviour so I don’t recommend following in his steps.’

Influencer and former Late And Live star Dean McCullough agreed, saying on TikTok: ‘Those scenes that we had to watch tonight and the behaviour that Rhianna had to endure is completely unacceptable,’ and called Omar’s treatment of her ‘abusive and toxic’.

1. Celebrity Big Brother (2007) – Jade Goody and Shilpa Shetty racism row – 44,500 complaints

2. Celebrity Big Brother (2018) – Roxanne Pallett and Ryan Thomas ‘Punchgate’ – 25,327 complaints

3. Britain’s Got Talent (2020) – Diversity’s Black Lives Matter performance – 25,017 complaints

4. Love Island (2021) – Faye Winter’s Movie Night outburst – 24,921 complaints

5. Big Brother (2026) – Omar and Rihanna ‘coercive control’ row – 7,138 complaints

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